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THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE 


LOST  LODE. 

BY 

CHRISTIAN  REID. 


AND 


STELLA'S    DISCIPLINE. 


BY 

F.  X. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

H.  L.  KILNER  &  Co., 


PUBLISHERS. 


Copyright,  ,893, 
Bv  U.  L.  KILNBR  &  Co. 


PS 

L  $J 

THE  LOST  LODE. 

CHAPTER  I. 

FAB  in  the  heart  of  the  great  Sierras  that  in 

§wild  and  austere  majesty  stretch  their  length  of 
tossed  and  broken  heights  along  the  western  coast 
*Z  of  Mexico  lies  the  Espiritu  Santo  Mine.     It  is  a 
'.*  mine  with  a  wonderful  history — the  history  of  a 
b   bonanza  running  through  more  than  a  century,  of 
powerful   families   created   and    enriched   by  its 
<j»    wealth,  and  of  a   flourishing    town,  which  built 
Jf}   upon  its  prosperity,  fell  into  decay  with  its  failure. 
g   For  there  came    a  day  when    even  the  Espiritu 
Santo  failed.    The  great  bonanzo,  which  had  lasted 
for  a  length  of  time  almost  unexampled  even  in 
o    Mexican  mines,  disappeared  at  length.     Whether 
s<:     it  was  finally  worked  out,  or  whether  it  had  only 
been  lost,  as  lodes  are  often  lost,  no  one  could  say. 
It  was  in  the  terrible  period  which  the  people  call 
"  the  times  of  the  revolution  "  that  the  ore  ceased 
^     to  pay ;    and  in  this  era  of  confusion  and  blood- 
shed, of  suffering  and  distress,  financial    collapse 
in  all  forms  was  too  common  to  excite  surprise  or 
comment.     It  seemed  altogether  a  thing  to  be  ex- 

(3) 


4  THE   LOST   LODE. 

pected  that  the  great  silver  lode  of  the  Espiritu 
Santo  should  have  failed  at  this  time.  Had  it  not 
failed,  there  was  then  neither  money  nor  men  to 
work  it.  The  money  was  taken  by  forced  levies, 
for  the  support  of  armies  arid  revolutionary  lead- 
ers, the  men  died  by  thousands  on  obscure  battle- 
fields where  the  land  was  drenched  in  the  blood 
of  its  sons. 

And  so,  for  many  years,  the  great  and  once 
famous  mine  was  left  deserted,  water  rose  un- 
checked in  its  dark  tunnels,  from  whence  the 
value  of  a  kingdom's  ransom  had  been  drawn  ;  and 
no  one  was  bold  enough  to  attempt  to  touch  it. 
Even  after  the  long  throes  of  revolution  were  over 
and  something  like  peace  descended  upon  the  ex- 
hausted land,  men  were  too  impoverished  and  too 
afraid  of  risking  what  yet  remained  to  them,  to 
think  of  the  Espiritu  Santo  Mine.  For  in  this 
case  the  Mexican  proverb,  "  Una  mina  quiere  otra 
mina  "  ("  One  mine  wants  another  mine  " — to  fur- 
nish means  to  work  it),  was  especially  true.  To 
drain  the  mine  and  to  explore  its  deep  workings 
for  the  lost  lode  of  fabulous  richness  would  re- 
quire a  large  capital — a  capital  so  large,  in  fact, 
that  no  single  man  was  likely  to  furnish  it,  and 
the  only  hope  for  a  renewed  working  was  in  the 
organization  of  a  company. 

This  being  well  known,  every  one  was  aston- 
ished when  Fernando  Sandoval  "  denounced  "  the 
mine;  for  nothing  was  a  more  indisputable  fact 


THE   LOST   LODE.  5 

than  that  Fernando  neither  had  nor  could  com- 
mand means  to  work  it.  He  belonged  to  a 
family  that  in  former  times  had  owned  a  large 
interest  and  grown  rich  from  its  profits.  But 
those  riches  had  now  taken  wings,  for  in  Mexico 
as  in  other  countries,  the  case  of  the  bottom  rail 
finding  itself  on  the  top,  and  vice  versa,  was  a 
frequent  practical  result  of  the  wars.  The  family 
Sandoval  were  now  very  poor.  They,  who  had 
once  counted  their  territory  by  leagues  rather 
than  by  acres,  were  now  reduced  to  one  small 
estate  in  the  beautiful  valley  over  which  frowned 
the  rugged  heights  and  passes  of  the  mountains 
within  whose  great  purple  clefts  lay  the  opening 
of  the  mine  from  which  they  had  once  derived  so 
much  wealth. 

It  was  perhaps  because  it  lay  there,  domi- 
nating the  poverty  in  which  he  spent  his  life  with 
the  suggestion  of  untold  riches,  that  Fernando, 
the  eldest  son  of  the  family,  felt  his  heart  burning 
with  a  discontent  very  unusual  in  one  of  his 
people,  who,  as  a  rule,  accept  the  alterations  of 
fortune  with  oriental  stoicism.  Or  perhaps  the 
fact  that  he  wished  very  much  to  marry  and 
could  not  afford  to  do  so  caused  him  to  think  by 
day  and  night  of  the  lost  lode,  and  to  speculate 
upon  the  chances  of  finding  it.  For  he  knew  well 
that  unless  he  could  reach  fortune  by  some  short- 
dut  the  soft,  dark  eyes  of  his  cousin  Guadalupe 
would  never  be  allowed  to  smile  for  him.  She 


6  Tfifc  LOST  LODE. 

was  an  orphan,  dwelling  beneath  his  father's  roof 
and  subject  entirely  to  the  control  of  his  parents, 
who,  although  they  had  given  her  a  home  and 
love  and  kindness,  when  the  cruel  changes  of  war 
had  in  early  childhood  left  her  orphaned  and 
penniless,  would  certainly  never  consent  to  his 
marrying  her  unless  he  could  prove  his  right  to 
do  so  by  making  money  enough  to  enable  him  to 
do  as  he  pleased. 

But  how  was  this  to  be  accomplished  ?  It  is 
not  an  easy  task,  even  in  a  country  where 
opportunities  for  money-making  abound,  but  in  a 
country  impoverished  by  revolutions,  with  few 
industries,  few  avenues  to  wealth,  it  becomes  an 
almost  insoluble  problem.  So  Fernando  found  it, 
and  so  his  thoughts  turned  more  and  more  towards 
the  romantic  stories  which  abound  in  Mexico  of 
sudden  wealth  yielded  by  the  mines  that  from  the 
days  of  Cortez  to  our  own  have  surpassed  in 
richness  all  others  in  the  world.  If  he  could  but 
find  again  the  lost  lode  of  the  Espiritu  Santo! 
He  began  to  haunt  the  deserted  mine,  to  descend 
as  far  as  he  could  into  it,  to  gaze  with  passionate 
longing  at  the  depths  of  still  water  that  covered 
the  old  workings.  Somewhere,  somewhere  there 
— down  there — must  lie  the  lost  lode  !  He  felt  it 
with  an  intensity  and  a  certainty  that  was  like  a 
consuming  passion.  For  money  to  drain  those 
dark  waters  and  search  untiringly  until  the  lode 
was  found,  what  would  he  not  give  or  do !  But 


THE  LOST   LODE.  7 

money  for  such  investment  he  neither  had  nor 
could  possibly  obtain.  And  this  being  so,  it  was 
necessary  to  put  his  wits  to  work  and  endeavor  to 
accomplish  by  other  means  the  end  on  which  he 
had  set  his  heart. 

About  this  time  he  began  to  correspond  with  a 
friend  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  a  lawyer  known  to 
have  business  dealings  with  certain  English  com- 
panies. The  result  of  the  correspondence  was 
that  one  day  Fernando  went  to  the  Mining 
Deputation  and  denounced  the  Espiritu  Santo 
Mine,  thus  becoming  its  owner  after  the  for- 
malities of  the  law  were  complied  with,  but  bound 
by  law  to  do  a  certain  amount  of  work  within  a 
certain  limit  of  time,  or  to  forfeit  his  title,  in 
which  case  the  mine  would  again  revert  to  the 
state  and  be  again  open  to  denouncement,  as  the 
process  of  acquiring  title  is  called. 

It  was  then  that  his  friends  and  acquaintances 
began  to  wonder  what  Fernando  meant  to  do. 
They  were  not  long  left  in  doubt.  Soon  two 
foreigners  appeared  on  the  scene,  who  inspected 
the  mine  as  far  as  inspection  was  possible,  and 
then  took  a  bond  upon  it.  Men  were  at  once 
placed  at  work,  although  no  work  of  any  real 
importance  was  possible  until  the  mine  was 
drained  ;  for  which  purpose  a  powerful  modern 
pump  was  necessary.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
months  this  arrived,  the  engine  was  put  up,  and 
soon  the  water  of  the  mine  was  pouring  in  a  flood 


8  THE  LOST  LODE. 

through  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  which  was  the 
chief  entrance  into  it,  and  flowing  tumultuously 
down  the  steep  arroyo  of  the  mountain -side. 

Following  upon  this,  a  new  person  arrived  on 
the  scene — a  young  Englishman  who,  it  was 
understood,  was  to  take  charge  of  the  work  now 
that  there  would  be  something  of  importance  to 
be  done.  He  did  not  seem  very  much  like  one 
who  would  stimulate  or  hasten  work,  this  dark, 
languid  young  man,  who,  except  in  mariner  and 
speech,  had  no  appearance  of  an  Englishman; 
but  since  he  carried  half  the  alphabet  after  his 
name,  in  token  that  he  belonged  to  half  a  dozen 
scientific  societies,  it  is  to  be  supposed  that  the 
new  owners  of  the  Espiritu  Santo  knew  what  they 
were  about  in  sending  him  to  look  after  their 
interests.  That  he  was  the  son  of  one  of  them 
had  perhaps  as  much  bearing  upon  the  case  as  the 
scientific  initials;  but  neither  fact  impressed 
Fernando  Sandoval  with  much  belief  in  his 
practical  ability.  Although  he  did  not  smile 
when  he  saw  him,  for  a  Mexican  has  the  impas- 
sive calm  of  an  Indian  together  with  the  stately 
dignity  of  a  Spaniard,  he  certainly  thought  that 
this  bored-looking  fine  gentleman,  with  his  sleepy 
eyes,  his  English  drawl,  and  admirably-cut 
London  clothes,  would  not  be  likely  either  to  find 
the  lost  lode  himself,  or  to  interfere  seriously 
with  certain  plans  already  matured  in  his  (Sand- 
oval's)  mind  regarding  it. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  house  of  La  Providencia,  the  small  estate 
of  the  Sandoval  family,  stands  on  a  gentle  emi- 
nence hardly  large  enough  to  be  called  a  hill,  be- 
hind which,  at  the  distance  of  about  half  a  mile, 
rises  abruptly  the  steep,  serrated  mountain  range, 
and  before  which  extends  the  level  lands  of  the 
flourishing  but  now  decayed  town  that  dates  its 
era  of  prosperity  according  to  the  length  of  time 
when  the  Espiritu  Santo  Mine  was  "  in  bonanza." 

The  casa  of  La  Providencia  looks  naturally  to- 
ward the  town,  and  from  the  corridor,  or  arcade, 
that  extends  along  the  front  of  the  house,  any  one 
with  an  appreciation  for  the  beautiful  in  nature 
has  a  charming  picture  spread  before  the  gaze. 
The  lovely  valley,  smiling  in  fertility,  stretches 
away  for  at  least  twenty  miles,  so  that  the  moun- 
tains at  the  farther  end  are  like  the  azure  battle- 
ments of  heaven.  On  each  side  the  great  encir- 
cling sierras  extend — vast  purple  masses  in  the 
distance,  rugged,  dominating  heights  close  at  hand, 
with  forests  still  standing  in  their  deep  clefts  and 
gorges,  but  the  slope  of  their  immense  shoulders 
bare  and  brown,  save  in  the  rainy  season,  when  a 

(9) 


10  THE  LOST  LODE. 

beautiful  mantle  of  green  spreads  over  them.  In 
the  middle  distance  lies  the  town,  apparently  em- 
bowered in  tropical  foliage,  above  which  rises  the 
noble  tower  of  the  church,  a  perfect  picturesque 
object,  as  all  Mexican  churches  are,  outlined 
against  a  sky  that  burns  ever  with  the  blue  inten- 
sity of  a  jewel.  Broad,  white  roads  lead  from  the 
town  in  various  directions,  and  along  one  of  these 
roads  about  four  o'clock  one  afternoon  the  young 
English  superintendent  of  the  Espiritu  Santo  Mine 
was  riding. 

He  did  not  look  amiable  as  he  walked  his 
horse  along  a  foot-path  at  the  side  of  the  road,  to 
avoid  the  suffocating  clouds  of  white  dust  which 
every  step  on  the  highway  raised.  He  was  a  very 
foreign  figure,  despite  the  broad  Mexican  hat  he 
wore  to  shield  himself  from  the  sun  ;  and  as  he  let 
the  reins  fall  carelessly  on  his  horse's  neck  and 
gazed  with  sombre  eyes  across  the  valley,  over 
which,  on  the  western  side,  broad,  deep  shadows 
were  already  lying,  an  observer  could  hardly  have 
failed  to  see  that  he  was  a  very  dissatisfied  man  in- 
deed. 

And  certainly,  in  Mr.  Cecil  Vyner's  opinion,  he 
had  every  reason  for  dissatisfaction.  To  be  sum- 
marily exiled  from  the  only  life  worth  living — 
that  of  London  in  its  season  of  gaiety  and  fashion — 
and  sent,  not  to  some  foreign  city  where  there 
would  at  least  be  a  few  social  distractions,  but  a 
remote  Mexican  village  where  he  was  thrown 


f  HE  LOST  LODE.  11 

literally  and  completely  upon  his  own  resources, 
and  where,  possessing  very  few  of  these  resources, 
he  was  almost  ready  to  cut  his  throat  from  ennui, 
was  surely  enough  to  account  for  the  gloom  of  his 
face  and  the  depression  of  his  spirits.  He  was  in- 
wardly cursing  his  fate,  his  father,  and  last,  but 
certainly  not  least,  the  Espiritu  Santo  Mine,  as 
he  rode  along  the  sunlit  valley,  which  to  other 
eyes  might  have  borne  the  aspect  of  a  paradise, 
but  to  him  was  more  repugnant  than  a  desert. 
There  was  but  one  ray  of  hope  before  him.  If  he 
could  find  the  lost  lode  his  father  would  be  so 
much  pleased  that  he  might  condone  the  financial 
extravagance  which  had  outraged  him;  and  he 
(Vyner)  might  be  recalled  from  exile  and  restored 
to  the  life  he  loved  and  the  woman  he  fancied  he 
adored.  But  the  realization  of  this  hope  seemed 
to  him  vague  and  distant.  He  looked  with  lower- 
ing brows  at  the  great  deep  gash  in  the  mountain 
where  the  opening  to  the  mine  lay,  and  was  pos- 
sessed with  a  sense  of  impotent  rage  as  he  thought 
of  the  baffling  secret  which  it  held.  So  another 
man  had  often  looked  and  longed,  feeling  as 
Vyner  felt  now,  that  if  he  could  not  soon  wrest 
that  secret  from  nature's  dark  depths,  the  woman 
he  loved  might  be  placed  for  ever  beyond  his 
reach. 

But,  though  he  might  look  at  it  with  rage  in  his 
heart,  it  was  not  to  the  mine  that  the  young  En- 
glishman was  bound  this  afternoon.  When  he 


12  THE  LOST   LODE. 

reached  the  gates  through  which  a  road  passed 
from  the  highway  into  the  lands  of  La  Providen- 
cia,  he  turned  and  entered  them.  Riding  through 
wide  fields,  just  now  bare  from  the  garnered  har- 
vest, he  presently  reached  the  gentle  hill  on 
which  the  house  stood,  and  passing  through  an- 
other gate,  surrounded  by  the  small,  dark  huts  of 
the  laborers  employed  on  the  estate,  rode  up  a 
sloping  road  to  the  corridor  that,  with  its  pictur- 
esque arches,  overlooked  the  valley. 

A  girl  seated  in  the  shade  of  this  corridor,  with 
some  fine  needlework  in  her  hands,  had  observed 
him  ever  since  he  turned  from  the  highway  into 
the  fields.  There  was  not  much  interest  in  her 
observation,  for  she  knew  very  well  who  he  was, 
and  that  he  had  a  right  of  way  across  the  lands  of 
the  hacienda  to  the  mine  in  the  heights  beyond. 
She  supposed  that  he  was  bound  to  the  latter 
place  until  his  horse's  hoofs  striking  on  the  stony 
hillside  told  her  that  he  was,  instead,  coming  to 
the  house.  A  minute  later  he  reined  up  before 
her  and  uncovered. 

"  Good-day,  seriorita,"  he  said  in  sufficiently 
fluent  Spanish.  "  Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to 
tell  me  where  I  can  find  Senor  Don  Fernando 
Sandoval?"  Then  to  himself  he  added,  "What 
a  beautiful  girl !  " 

And  indeed  it  could  only  have  been  a  blind 
man  who  did  not  perceive  the  beauty  of  the  face 
looking  up  into  his — a  face  with  purely  outlined 


THE  LOST  LODE.  13 

features  of  almost  classical  delicacy,  large  dark 
eyes  of  singular  sweetness,  set  under  the  mid- 
night shadow  of  sweeping  lashes  and  perfect 
brows,  a  complexion  like  ivory  in  its  softness  and 
smoothness,  a  mouth  of  noble  beauty,  and  rich 
hair  waving  in  curling  tendrils  around  a  forehead 
that  in  proportion  and  form  was  one  of  the  most 
charming  features  of  the  countenance.  And  with 
this  lovely  countenance  were  united  a  clear  di- 
rectness of  gaze  untinged  by  coquetry,  and  a  sim- 
plicity and  grace  of  bearing  without  the  faintest 
trace  of  self-consciousness.  All  over  the  Mexican 
land,  in  lowest  as  in  highest,  one  finds  this  simplic- 
ity and  grace  ;  but  Vyner  had  never  before  been 
so  struck  with  it  as  in  this  girl,  who,  seated  under 
the  shadow  of  what  was  little  more  than  a  farm- 
house, answered  him  with  the  quiet  courtesy  of  a 
young  princess : 

"  I  am  sorry,  senor,  but  Don  Fernando  is  not  at 
home.  When  he  rose  from  his  siesta  he  went  out 
into  the  fields  and  has  not  returned.  Pancho  " — 
she  turned  to  a  small  boy  who  emerged  from  some 
inner  region — "  do  you  know  when  Fernando  will 
return  ?  " 

Pancho  shook  his  head,  which  was  covered  with 
a  mop-like  growth  of  thick  black  hair.  "  No,"  he 
answered,  "Fernando  went  out  to  the  vanqueros, 
who  are  branding  the  calves.  I  wished  much  to 
go,"  he  added  in  a  tone  of  personal  injury,  "  but  I 


14  THE  LOST  LODE. 

had  no  horse  and  Fernando  would  not  take  me 
behind  him.  He  took  Manuel  instead." 

The  girl  looked  at  the  stranger.  "  It  is  very 
far,  senor,"  she  said,  "  to  the  place  where  the  va- 
queros  have  the  cattle.  If  my  cousin  has  gone 
there,  he  will  not  return  until  late,  and  it  is  not 
likely  that  you  can  see  him  to-day  ;  but  his 
father,  Don  Ignacio,  is  at  home,  if  you  would  like 
to  see  him." 

"  I  will  go  and  tell  him,"  said  Pancho  without 
waiting  for  a  reply,  and  he  darted  into  the  house. 

Vyner  had  no  desire  to  see  Don  Ignacio,  but  the 
matter  seemed  taken  out  of  his  hands  by  the 
prompt  action  of  the  boy,  and  after  all,  when  a 
man  has  nothing  better  to  do,  why  should  he  not 
pause  in  grateful  shade  on  a  warm  afternoon,  and 
please  his  eyes  by  the  sight  of  the  most  beautiful 
face  he  has  seen  for  many  days  ?  Certainly  the 
eyes  in  question  remained  fastened  upon  the  face 
with  a  persistence  which  might  have  unsettled  the 
composure  of  an  older  woman,  but  that  had  ap- 
parently no  effect  upon  this  Mexican  girl. 

"  You  will  descend  from  your  horse,  senor,  and 
sit  down  until  my  uncle  comes  ?  "  she  said  ;  and 
then,  with  the  graceful,  oriental  gesture  common 
in  the  country,  she  clapped  her  hands. 

A  mozo,  who  looked  like  a  bronze  statue  dressed 
in  white  cotton  cloth  and  girded  with  a  red  sash, 
appeared,  took  the  horse  and  led  him  away,  while 
Vyner,  entering  the  brick-paved  corridor,  the  floor 


THE  LOST  LODE.  15 

of  which  was  on  a  level  with  the  ground,  sat  down 
on  one  of  the  chairs  of  bamboo  and  leather  placed 
there.  Now  for  the  first  time  he  looked  away 
from  the  girl  over  the  wide,  beautiful  picture 
which  the  arches  framed,  and  for  the  first  time  he 
saw  and  felt  the  loveliness  of  the  natural  scenes 
around  him. 

"  You  have  a  charming  situation  here,  senorita," 
he  said.  "  This  view  of  the  valley  and  mountains 
is  superb.  Do  you  not  admire  it  ?  " 

She  hesitated  a  moment  before  replying.  It 
had  never  occurred  to  her  to  think  whether  she 
admired  it  or  not.  It  was  part  of  her  life — al- 
most of  herself — this  picture  which  since  her  ear- 
liest youth  had  been  spread  before  her  eyes  in  un- 
changing beauty,  "Yes,  it  is  fine — one  can  see 
all  the  valley  from  here,"  she  said  after  a  moment. 
"  The  senor  likes  our  valley  ?  " 

The  senor  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  It  is  very 
beautiful,"  he  said,  "  but  one  cannot  live  on  nat- 
ural beauty — at  least  I  can't.  One  wants  a  little 
society — a  few  friends.  I  am  a  stranger  here,  you 
know,  and  I  find  it  very  lonely,"  Had  he  been 
speaking  in  his  own  language,  he  would  have  ad- 
ded in  words,  as  in  his  thoughts,  "  and  beastly 
dull " ;  but  the  stately  Spanish  tongue  does  not 
lend  itself  readily  to  English  slang,  so  his  state- 
ment remained  incomplete  so  far  as  his  own  senti- 
ments were  concerned — though  more  likely  to  ap- 
peal to  the  sympathy  of  his  companion. 


16  THE  LOST   LODE. 

And  the  liquid  eyes  were  full  of  this  sympathy 
as  they  regarded  him.  He  looked  so  oppressed  by 
the  loneliness  of  which  he  spoke,  as  he  sat  gazing 
out  over  the  Arcadian  valley,  with  its  magical 
mountain  walls ;  and,  like  all  women,  this  girl  was 
easily  touched  b}'  the  sight  of  unhappiness.  "But 
is  it  necessary  for  you  to  be  lonely?"  she  said. 
"You  speak  our  language  very  well,  and  our  people 
are  glad  to  welcome  strangers  who  come  with 
friendly  feelings  toward  us." 

Vyner  might  have  answered  very  truly  that  the 
friendly  feelings  were  non-existent  in  his  case,  for 
with  true  Anglo-Saxon  arrogance  he  regarded  the 
people  as  belonging  to  an  inferior  race,  and  up  to 
the  present  moment  had  not  been  troubled  with 
the  faintest  desire  to  know  any  of  those  who  in- 
habited this  remote  spot.  But  now  things  began 
to  wear  a  slightly  different  aspect.  It  might  be 
worth  while  to  know  the  Sandovals,  if  only  for  the 
privilege  of  looking  now  and  then  at  the  lovely 
face  before  him.  "  You  are  very  kind,  senorita,"  he 
answered.  "No  doubt  your  people  would  be 
friendly  enough — although  we  really  have  not 
much  in  common,  you  know — but  I  have  not  up  to 
this  time  cared  to  make  acquaintances.  Now, 
however —  " 

He  paused  abruptly,  for  at  this  moment  Don 
Ignacio  stepped  out  of  the  house.  A  tall,  stal- 
wart figure,  with  a  deeply  bronzed  face,  clearly- 
cut  features  and  piercing  dark  eyes,  he  looked 


THE  LOST  LODE.  17 

what  he  was — a  man  born  to  wealth  and  command, 
consigned  by  adverse  fate  to  poverty  and  obscurity, 
and  grown  somewhat  morose  under  a  discipline 
which,  as  a  general  rule,  only  benefits  sweet  and 
noble  natures.  A  mass  of  iron-gray  hair  stood  up 
straight  from  the  square,  olive  forehead,  and  a  short 
moustache,  also  partially  gray,  covered  the  upper 
lip.  His  dress  was  somewhat  shabby — the  short 
Mexican  jacket  of  black  cloth  which  he  wore, 
somewhat  frayed  and  worn — but  there  was  no  mis- 
taking that  the  man  was  a  gentleman,  and  even 
Vyner,  though  he  had  no  very  keen  perceptions  to 
pierce  below  the  outward  aspect  of  things,  had 
not  the  least  doubt  of  it  as  he  rose  to  meet  him. 

"It  is  the  English  senor  from  the  mine,  uncle," 
said  the  girl's  soft  voice.  "  He  wishes  to  see  Fer- 
nando." 

"  My  name  is  Vyner,"  said  the  young  man. 
"  Your  son,  Don  Fernando,  knows  me  very  well, 
sefior.  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  calling  to  see 
him  on  a  matter  of  business;  and  since  he  is  not 
at  home,  the  senorita  suggested  that  I  might  see 
yourself." 

"  You  are  very  welcome,  seuor,"  answered  the 
grave  Mexican  with  an  air  of  stately  courtesy. 
"  My  son  has  often  spoken  of  you,  and  I  am  happy 
to  know  you.  My  house  is  yours.  Will  you  not 
enter?" 

He  waved  his  hand  toward  the  great  open  door 
of  the  house,  but  Vyner  had  no  intention  of  leav- 
2 


18  THE  LOST   LODE. 

ing  the  attraction  which  had  detained  him ;  and 
he  made  a  decided  negative  gesture. 

"Pardon  me,"  he  said,  "but  I  shall  only  detain 
you  for  a  few  minutes — and  it  is  very  delightful 
here,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  remain — " 

"  Pray  be  seated,  then,  "  said  Don  Ignacio  with 
another  wave  of  the  hand ;  and  when  the  visitor 
had  resumed  his  seat,  he  sat  down  himself.  The 
usual  interchange  of  courtesies  then  followed  be- 
tween the  two  men,  while  the  girl  relapsed  into  si- 
lence and  devoted  herself  to  the  stitching  in  her 
hands,  her  dark  lashes  throwing  a  shadow  on  the  soft 
ivory  of  her  cheeks  as  she  looked  downward.  Vy- 
ner's  eyes  wandered  persistently  toward  her  while 
he  answered  his  host's  remarks  rather  absently,  and 
it  was  with  a  sense  of  pulling  himself  up  that  he 
presently  observed  abruptly : 

"  As  I  have  said,  senor,  I  called  to  see  your  son 
on  business,  and  I  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you 
will  do  me  the  favor  to  deliver  a  message  to  him." 

Don  Ignacio  bowed.  "I  am  at  your  service, 
senor,"  he  replied.  "I  will  deliver  to  my  son  any 
message  with  which  you  do  me  the  honor  to  en- 
trust me." 

"I  wish,"  said  Vyner,  "to  ask  Don  Fernando  if 
it  would  be  possible  for  him  to  take  a  position  at 
the  Espiritu  Santo  mine.  My  English  foreman  is 
leaving.  He  does  not  understand  the  men  nor 
they  him,  and  a  continual  conflict  has  been  the  re- 
sult. I  therefore  think  it  better  to  supply  his 


THE  LOST  LODE.  19 

place  with  a  Mexican  who  knows  his  people;  and 
it  occurred  to  me  that  perhaps  Don  Fernando 
might  accept  the  position.  He  will  be  in  control 
of  everything — though  subject,  of  course,  to  my 
direction — and  the  salary  is  a  hundred  dollars  a 
month." 

He  paused,  and  he  judged  rightly  enough  the 
character  of  the  man  before  him  not  to  be  sur- 
prised that  the  dark  brows  knitted  slightly  over 
the  deep-set  eyes.  Evidently  it  was  not  pleasant 
to  Don  Ignacio  that  his  son  should  be  asked  to 
serve  as  a  servant  where  he  himself  had  once  com- 
manded as  a  master ;  but  the  courtesy  of  his  man- 
ner did  not  change  as  he  answered : 

"  I  will  deliver  your  message  to  my  son,  senor ; 
but  you  will  permit  me  to  remind  you  that  practi- 
cally he  knows  little  of  mining.  Let  me  suggest 
that  in  Guanajuato  or  some  other  mining  town  you 
could  easily  find  some  one  trained  to  the  business, 
who  would  serve  your  purpose  much  better." 

"  Not  at  all,"  answered  Vyner  with  positive- 
ness.  "  I  do  not  need  a  man  of  very  special 
training,  because  I  shall  direct  the  work  myself. 
All  that  I  want  is  some  one  who  will  see  that  my 
orders  are  carefully  executed,  and  who  will  under- 
stand the  men  and  manage  them  without  diffi- 
culty. Your  son  will  certainly  be  able  to  do  these 
things ;  and  I  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you  will 
ask  him  to  take  my  offer  into  consideration,  and 
let  me  know  his  decision  as  soon  as  possible." 


20  THE   LOST   LODE. 

The  Mexican  bent  his  head.  "  I  will  tell  him 
all  you  have  said,"  he  answered  briefly. 

"  He  knows  where  to  find  me  in  the  town  down 
there,"  said  Vyner,  nodding  toward  the  embower- 
ed church-tower,  "  and  I  should  be  very  happy, 
senor,  if  you  would  do  me  the  favor  of  consider- 
ing my  house  there  as  your  own." 

The  reply  was  what  would  naturally  follow  in 
such  a  case,  elaborate  acknowledgement  and  an 
assurance  of  unlimited  hospitality  on  the  part  of 
La  Providencia.  Vyner  answered  suitably,  and 
then  rose  :  there  was  no  longer  an  excuse  for  lin- 
gering. Don  Ignacio  offered  chocolate,  and  when 
it  was  declined,  clapped  his  hands,  at  which  signal 
mozo  and  horse  promptly  reappeared.  Vyner 
walked  over  and  offered  his  hand  to  the  girl,  who 
again  lifted  her  dark,  sweet  eyes  to  his. 

"  Adois,  senorita,  and  many  thanks,"  he  said. 

As  he  rode  away  the  smile  with  which  she  an- 
swered simply,  "Adois,  senor," seemed  to  linger 
with  him  like  the  perfume  of  a  flower. 


CHAPTER  III. 

It  was  on  the  same  corridor  several  hours  later, 
when  the  violet  sky  overhead  was  thickset, with 
myriads  of  shining  stars,  and  the  wide  outspread 
landscape  was  no  more  than  a  shadowy  sugges- 
tion of  mountains  and  plain,  that  Fernando  said 
to  his  cousin : 

"  My  opportunity  has  come  at  last,  Guadalupe. 
I  thought  that  it  would  if  I  had  patience  enough 
to  wait." 

Guadalupe  did  .not  answer  for  a  moment.  In 
the  soft  obscurity  he  could  not  see  more  than  the 
outlines  of  her  face  ;  but  her  voice  was  a  little 
thoughtful  when  she  spoke: 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  your  opportunity,  Fer- 
nando? Is  it  so  much  to  you  to  have  this  position 
in  the  mine?" 

He  laughed  shortly,  a  laugh  which  jarred  as  it 
struck  on  the  girl's  ear.  "Yes,"  he  answered,  "it 
is  much  to  me  to  have  this  position ;  but  not  for 
the  sake  of  its  paltry  remuneration.  My  father  is 
right  about  that.  It  would  ill  become  a  Sandoval 
to  take  a  servant's  place  for  a  little  money.  But 
when  a  great  amount  of  money — millions  it  may 

(21) 


22  SHE  LOST  LODE. 

be — is  at  stake,  then  it  is  worth  while  to  humili- 
ate one's  self  for  a  time  in  order  to  triumph  later. 
This  is  what  he  does  not  know.  But  you,  Gauda- 
lupe,  you  must  understand  why  I  take  the  oppor- 
tunity which  this  foreigner  has  put  into  my  hand, 
and  accept  the  place  he  offers." 

The  girl  seemed  to  shrink  a  little  in  the  depths 
of  the  chair  in  which  she  sat.  Again  there  was  a 
moment's  pause  before  she  spoke,  and  when  she 
did  her  voice  had  a  curious  ring  of  hesitation  in  it. 
"  No  "  she  said,  "  I  do  not  understand  why  this 
position  should  mean  so  much  to  you,  or  how — 
how,  Fernando  mio,  you  can  serve  both  your  own 
interest  and  that  of  the  man  who  will  employ  and 
trust  you." 

"  You  are  dull,  then,  Guadalupe,  or  is  it  that 
you  do  not  wish  to  understand  ?"  said  Fernando 
a  little  harshly.  "  You  know  that  I  live  but  for 
one  object,  to  find  the  lost  lode  of  the  Espiritu 
Santo  Mine,  because  to  find  that  means  to  win 
you.  For  a  year  past  I  have  thought  by  day  and 
dreamed  by  night  of  nothing  else  ;  and  I  have  laid 
my  plans  well.  This  foreigner  will  never  find  the 
lode.  He  is  not  only  a  fool  where  mining  is  con- 
cerned, with  all  his  assumption  of  science,  but — 
well,  there  are  other  reasons,  which  I  need  not  tell 
you,  why  he  will  never  find  it.  At  last  he  and 
the  men  who  have  sent  him  here  will  grow  weary, 
they  will  abandon  the  mine,  their  costly  machin- 
ery will  be  sold  for  anything  it  will  bring.  I  will 


THE  LOST   LODE.  23 

buy  it,  denounce  the  mine  afresh,  open  the  lode, 
and  we  are  rich  once  more,  and  you  are  mine — 
mine  for  ever,  Guadalupe  ! " 

He  put  out  his  hand  under  cover  of  the  dark- 
ness and  seized  hers  in  a  strong,  close  clasp. 
What'  was  there  in  the  touch  that  seemed  to  sud- 
denly fill  her  soul  with  a  rush  of  pity  and  of  the 
love  which  the  moment  before  his  words  had 
chilled  and  shocked  ?  The  hand  which  touched 
hers  was  like  the  hand  of  a  man  in  burning  fever — 
hot  and  dry,  with  a  pulse  that  throbbed  passion- 
ately. It  seemed  to  tell  her  to  what  a  pitch  of  hardly 
accountable  excitement  the  man  was  strung.  She 
laid  her  other  cool,  soft  hand  upon  it,  and  spoke 
with  a  tenderness  that  an  instant  earlier  would 
have  been  impossible  to  her. 

"  I  am  yours  forever,  whether  poverty  or  riches 
lie  before  us,  Fernando.  But  I  had  far  rather  it 
were  poverty  than  riches  bought  at  the  price  of 
treachery.  No,  do  not  take  your  hand  away  !  Lis- 
ten to  me — to  me  who  love  you — for  one  moment ! 
You  have  thought  of  this  lost  lode  until  you  are 
not  yourself.  You  are  like  a  man  possessed  by  an 
evil  spirit  that  will  lead  you  to  deeds  that  must 
stain  your  soul,  if  you  do  not  pause.  O  Fernando  ! 
think  of  it  no  more.  Keep  faith  with  those  to 
whom  you  have  sold  this  mine.  Let  them  find 
the  lode  if  they  can.  It  is  enough  if  we  have  the 
price  you  have  asked  for  the  mine.  You  can  gain 
no  more  with  a  clear  conscience  and  an  undefiled 


24  THE  LOST   LODE. 

soul.  Do  not  go  near  that  mine  where  temptation 
lies  in  wait  for  you.  O  my  love,  my  love  !  listen 
to  me.  Do  not  take  the  position  this  man  offers, 
I  beg,  I  pray  you,  Fernando — " 

Her  voice  failed  under  the  influence  of  the 
feeling  which  her  own  pleading  seemed  to  inten- 
sify. Her  tones  were  very  low,  but  they  thrilled 
with  a  passion  of  entreaty,  and  her  small  hands 
clasped  his  with  a  compelling  force,  as  if  she 
would  constrain  him  to  hear  and  to  heed.  Love 
has  sometimes  a  wonderful  illuminating  power, 
and  one  old  in  the  knowledge  of  life  and  sin 
could  have  felt  no  more  strongly  than  this  girl,  in 
her  youth  and  ignorance,  that  the  man  beside  her 
stood  in  deadly  temptation.  Was  it  possible  that 
her  voice — the  voice  he  loved  so  well — could  fail 
to  draw  him  from  it? 

Alas !  in  all  ages  is  not  the  story  told  that  an- 
gels, in  one  form  or  another,  have  pleaded  in  vain 
with  men  when  their  hearts  and  minds  were  set 
toward  the  glamour  of  evil  ?  For  an  instant  Fer- 
nando' s  purpose  wavered,  but  the  next  moment  it 
was  like  steel  again.  Much  as  he  loved  Guada- 
lupe,  what  was  she  but  a  woman,  a  girl,  full  of 
foolish  scruples  and  unfit  to  counsel  a  man  in  the 
serious  affairs  of  life  ?  He  had  made  a  mistake  in 
speaking  to  her  of  matters  beyond  her  comprehen- 
sion. It  was  for  a  man  to  fight  the  world  and 
win  fortune  with  whatever  weapons  should  seem 
to  him  best,  and  for  a  woman  to  accept  the  results 


THE  LOST  LODE.  25 

without  inquiry,  submissive  to  his  higher  wisdom. 
So  when  he  spoke  there  was  a  certain  hardness  in 
his  tone  that  struck  on  her  passionate  mood  like 
ice- water  on  heated  metal. 

"  I  see  that  you  do  not  understand  me,  Guada- 
lupe,  and  it  is  best  that  we  should  talk  of  this  no 
further.  Every  man  has  a  right  to  do  the  best 
that  he  can  for  his  own  interest.  I  am  doing  no 
more.  If  these  blundering  foreigners  serve  me 
without  intending  to  do  so,  I  am  not  to  blame  for 
that.  Nor  yet  am  I  to  blame  if  I  take  advantage 
of  their  ignorance  and  stupidity." 

"  You  are  deceiving  yourself,  Fernando,"  said 
Guadalupe  sadly.  "You  are  to  blame  if  you 
should  bind  yourself  to  serve  their  interest,  and 
instead  you  should  betray  it  and  serve  your  own. 
What  would  you  say  of  another  man  who  acted 
in  that  manner  ?  And  even  now,  I  fear — oh !  for- 
give me  that  I  must  say  it — I  fear  that  you  are 
trying  to  gain  your  end  by  means  that  neither 
your  honor  nor  your  conscience  can  approve. " 

"  That  is  enough, "  said  Fernando  angrily 
drawing  his  hand  from  her  soft  detaining  clasp. 
"  You  insult  me,  you  do  not  trust  me,  you  can 
have  no  love  for  me.  When  a  woman  loves  a 
man  all  that  he  does  is  right  in  her  eyes,  she 
thinks  only  of  his  interest,  not  of  that  of  any 
other  man ;  but  you^  what  do  you  know  of  love  ?  " 

"  So  much  that  I  would  die  for  you,  Fernando, 
willingly,  gladly,"  she  said,  clasping  her  hands, 


26  THE  LOST   LODE. 

and  bending  toward  him.  "  But  to  see  you  do 
what  is  dishonorable  in  the  eyes  of  men,  and  a  sin 
in  the  eyes  of  God,  how  could  I  love  you  and  not 
try  with  all  iny  strength  to  hold  you  back  from 
that?" 

"If  you  loved  me  you  would  believe  that  I 
know  best  what  is  right,"  he  said  with  passionate 
arrogance. 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  Then,  "  Should 
I  ?  "  she  asked  with  a  quivering  intonation.  "  I 
think  not,  Fernando  ;  for  how  can  any  human  love 
alter  the  laws  of  God,  the  laws  that  bind  us  to 
justice  and  truth  ?  They  do  not  depend  on  what 
you  or  I  may  think  or  feel  toward  each  other, 
those  laws.  They  are  fixed  forever,  like  the  stars 
yonder,  to  guide  us  both. 

Her  voice  dropped  with  the  last  word,  and  it 
was  now  Fernando's  turn  to  be  silent  for  a  mo- 
ment. Like  many  another  man,  he  was  angered 
by  the  opposition  of  the  one  being  on  whom  he 
felt  he  had  a  right  to  count  for  support  in  any 
event.  The  truths  which  Guadalupe  uttered  he 
did  not  wish  to  hear  from  any  one  ;  but  they 
were  especially  offensive  coming  from  her  ;  for  he 
desired  to  deceive  himself  as  far  as  practicable, 
and  he  desired  her  aid  in  doing  so.  He  had  not 
reckoned  on  the  strength  of  integrity  in  that  girl's 
nature,  nor  the  living  force  which  certain  com- 
mandments, that  he  had  trained  himself  to  regard 
lightly  enough,  had  for  her.  She  was  the  only 


THE  LOST  LODE.  27 

confidante  whom  he  could  allow  himself,  and  he 
had  followed  an  irresistible  impulse  in  speaking 
to  her  freely  ;  but  he  saw  now  that  he  must  deny 
himself  this  solace,  and  wear  a  mask  for  her  as 
for  all  the  rest  of  the  world. 

"  You  do  me  great  injustice,"  he  said  at  length, 
and,  despite  his  efforts,  he  conld  not  keep  a  tone 
of  sullenness  out  of  his  voice.  "I  am  not  so 
treacherous  and  dishonorable  as  you  think.  If  I 
take  the  position  offered  me  in  the  mine,  I  shall 
not  betray  any  interests  confined  to  me.  My 
father  tells  me  that  Senor  Vyner  simply  wishes 
some  one  to  execute  his  orders.  That  I  can  do 
with  a  clear  conscience,  for  I  wish  I  were  as  sure 
of  Paradise  as  I  am  that  he  will  never  find  the 
lost  lode.  Now  we  will  speak  of  this  no  more." 

And  indeed  Guadalupe's  name  was  at  this 
moment  called  by  a  voice — that  of  her  aunt — 
which  she  had  no  alternative  but  to  obey 
promptly.  "  I  come,"  she  answered,  and  then 
rising,  bent  for  an  instant  over  Fernando  as  he 
remained  seated,  put  both  hands  on  his  shoulders 
so  that  the  sweetness  of  her  presence  seemed  to 
envelop  him,  kissed  him  lightly  on  the  forehead, 
and  was  gone. 

She  did  not  see  him  again  that  night,  and  when 
she  asked  for  him  the  next  morning  one  of  the 
younger  boys  said  that  he  had  ridden  away  at 
daylight,  without  telling  any  one  where  he  was 
going.  Guadalupe  sighed.  Was  he  angry  with 


28  THE  LOST  LODE. 

her,  or  did  he  only  mean  to  avoid  her,  fearing 
farther  words  concerning  their  difference  ?  She 
said  to  herself  that  he  need  have  no  such  fear. 
She  had  wisdom  enough  to  perceive  clearly  that 
no  words  of  hers  had  power  to  move  him  ;  and 
there  was  a  great  and  unusual  capability  of  reti- 
cence in  the  girl.  Some  day,  perhaps,  the 
opportunity  would  come  to  speak  again  with 
more  effect — until  then,  with  the  deep,  simple 
piety  of  her  race,  she  could  only  pray. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Meanwhile  Fernando  had  indeed  ridden  away 
early,  before  the  sun  appeared  above  the  eastern 
mountains.  The  cool  freshness  of  the  dawn- 
never  in  this  high  region  without  an  accompany- 
ing chill — was  grateful  to  his  fevered  senses  ;  for 
all  night  long  he  had  tossed  and  turned,  beset  by 
troubled  visions,  and  with  the  pulsating  excite- 
ment that  had  been  increased  rather  than  lessened 
by  her  words.  Again  and  again  he  waked  from 
dreams  in  which  he  stood  in  the  dark  chambers 
of  the  mine  beside  the  shining  metal  of  the  lost 
lode,  but  with  Guadalupe's  face  and  hand,  like  a 
forbidding  angel's,  warning  him  back.  It  was  a 
relief  to  shake  off  such  visions,  to  rise  from  his 
couch,  mount  his  horse  in  the  sharp,  clear  fresh- 
ness of  the  morning,  and  ride  away.  The  inde- 
scribable coolness  and  purity  of  the  air  seemed  to 
quiet  the  fever  of  his  brain,  and  lay  a  calming 
touch  upon  his  nerves.  His  thoughts  took  more 
definite  shape,  and  his  face  set  itself  in  resolute 
lines,  as  he  turned  his  horse's  head  toward  the 
town. 

The  marvelous  glow  of  color  which  heralded 
the  sunrise  had  faded  by  the  time  he  entered  the 
long,  oriental-like  streets,  lined  by  close-barred, 

(29) 


30  THE  LOST   LODE. 

flat-roofed  houses,  and  saw  the  beautiful  church- 
tower  gilded  by  the  first  rays  of  sunlight.  Birds 
were  wheeling  in  and  out  of  its  open  arches, 
and  bells  with  clashing  peal  were  calling  men  to 
worship  God  ;  but  Fernando  paid  as  little  heed  to 
the  last  as  to  the  first.  With  averted  face  he 
rode  quickly  by  the  church,  and  took  his  way 
down  the  straight  street  toward  a  part  of  the  town 
which,  having  been  the  site  of  the  original  Aztec 
village,  was  still  altogether  inhabited  by  Indians. 
It  was  called  the  Cienega  ( or  swampy  place ) 
from  the  fact  that  it  lay  somewhat  lower  than  the 
town,  and  was  therefore  in  less  need  of  irrigation, 
from  which  resulted  a  luxurious  growth  of 
vegetation — so  that  the  low  adobe  houses  were 
embowered  in  tropical  shade,  and  the  gardens  and 
fields  stretching  behind  them  were  covered  with  a 
rich,  deep  green  that  was  to  be  seen  nowhere  else 
during  the  dry  season. 

Before  one  of  the  small,  dark  habitations  which 
bordered  the  road,  Fernando  drew  up  his  horse, 
just  as  a  woman  appeared  in  the  low  doorway. 
The  level  rays  of  sunshine  fell  over  her  tall, 
straight  figure,  and  made  her  bare  neck  and  arms 
— for  she  wore  only  the  cotton  skirt  and  white 
camiseta  common  among  the  lower  orders — gleam 
like  polished  bronze,  while  no  more  purely  Aztec 
face  ever  met  the  gaze  of  the  first  conquerors  o± 
Mexico. 


THE  LOST  LODE.  31 

"  Good  day,  Caterina,"  said  the  young  man. 
"I  want  to  see  the  viejocito,  Rosalio.  Is  he  at 
home  ?" 

"  Yes,  senor,"  the  woman  answered,  "  he  is  in 
the  house.  I  will  call  him  to  you — unless  you 
will  do  us  the  honor  to  enter."  And  no  great 
lady  could  have  invited  a  guest  within  by  a  more 
graceful  gesture. 

"  Thanks,"  said  Fernando.  "  I  prefer  to  see 
him  within,  if  you  can  send  some  one  to  my 
horse — " 

"  At  once,  senor."  She  turned,  and  a  moment 
later  a  boy  appeared,  to  whom,  with  a  word  of 
caution,  Fernando  tossed  his  bridle-rein,  and 
entered  the  dwelling.  It  was  a  single  apartment, 
with  a  floor  of  hard  and  clean-swept  earth,  and 
passing  through,  the  young  man  emerged  into  an 
enclosure  behind,  surrounded  by  one  or  two  shed- 
like  rooms  and  an  adobe  wall,  along  which  cacti 
were  creeping,  and  over  which  drooped  heavy 
masses  of  plume-like  foliage.  Here  he  found  an 
old  man,  spare  and  wiry  of  frame,  as  the  elders  of 
his  race  almost  invariably  are,  with  a  skin  like 
dried  leather,  but  an  eye  full  of  brightness  and 
intelligence,  who  was  seated  in  a  corner,  under 
the  shade  of  the  projecting  roof  of  bamboo-sticks 
and  tiles,  plaiting  straw  to  be  fashioned  into  the 
large,  coarse  sombreros  worn  by  laborers. 

"  Ah,  Rosalio,  how  goes  it  with  you  ?"  cried  the 


32  THE  LOST  LODE. 

young  man  cheerily,  as  soon  as  he  perceived  this 
figure. 

"  Very  well,  senor,  that  I  may  serve  you," 
answered  the  viejocito,  rising  and  evidently  in  no 
doubt  who  his  visitor  might  be.  "  Sit  down,  seiior, 
sit  down  " — offering  his  chair.  "  You  are  early  on 
the  road." 

"  It  is  necessary,  for  I  have  much  to  do,"  Fer- 
nando answered  as  he  sat  down  in  the  offered  chair. 
"  I  have  come  to  see  you  again  about  the  Espiritu 
Santo  Mine,"  he  went  on  quickly,  looking  up 
at  the  dark  old  face.  "  No  one  knows  as  much 
of  it  as  you  do,  Rosalio,  for  I  think  you  are 
the  last  of  those  who  worked  it  in  the  time  of  the 
great  bonanza." 

"  There  is  no  other  here  of  whom  I  know,  senor," 
the  old  man  answered.  "  Yes,  I  worked  there  in 
the  days  when  silver  was  pouring  out  like  a  river  ; 
but  that  was  long  ago,  before  the  times  of  fight- 
ing." 

"  So  long  ago,"  said  Fernando,  "  that  I  know 
not  where  to  find  another  man  who  has  seen  with 
his  own  eyes  the  great  veto,  madre.  And  now  I 
want  you,  Rosalio,  to  tell  me  exactly  where  it  lay 
when  you  saw  it  last." 

He  was  not  looking  up  now,  so  he  did  not  see 
how  keen  the  light  in  the  dark  eyes  suddenly 
became ;  but  Rosalio  paused  for  a  moment,  as  if 
for  consideration,  before  he  answered.  Then, 


THE  LOST   LODE.  33 

"How  can  I  tell  you  that,  senor,  when  you  do 
not  know  the  mine  ?  "  he  asked  slowly. 

"  I  know  it  quite  well  already,  and  I  shall  soon 
know  it  better,"  Fernando  replied.  "  I  am  going 
to  take  charge  of  the  work,  and  I  wish  to  know 
where  to  seek  for  the  lost  lode." 

"  You ! — you  are  going  to  work  the  mine !  "  the 
old  man  said  with  astonishment.  "  And  you  wish 
to  find  the  veto,  madre  for  the  strangers  who 
possess  it  now?" 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Fernando  drily.  "  At  least  I 
wish  to  know  where  lies  the  best  prospect  of  find- 
ing it ;  and  I  will  pay  well  for  the  information, 
if  you  can  give  it  to  me." 

There  was  a  farther  pause,  and  then  the  old  man 
squatted  down  on  the  ground  beside  the  chair, 
and  looked  into  his  visitor's  face  with  an  expression 
which  made  the  heart  of  the  latter  for  a  moment 
almost  cease  beating,  so  full  of  meaning  was  it. 

"  Senor,"  said  the  old  miner  gravely,  "  it  will  be 
well  if  you  speak  plainly  to  me.  It  has  not 
been  long  since  you  came  and  paid  me  to  give  no 
hint  of  what  I  knew  to  those  who  are  now  work- 
ing the  mine.  If  they  found  the  great  lode  of 
themselves,  you  said,  it  was  well ;  but  there  was  no 
reason  why  we  should  give  information  to  help 
them  to  it.  I  could  guess  your  reasons  for  this 
very  well ;  and,  even  had  I  not  been  able  to  do 
so,  your  money  was  good,  and  I  have  held  my 
tongue — although,  indeed,  I  have  not  been  with- 
(3) 


34  THE  LOST  LODE. 

out  thought  that  the  senor  gringo  might  pay  me 
even  better  for  what  I  know." 

"  You  old  traitor ! "  muttered  Fernando,  not  with- 
out a  rising  fear  lest  that  thought  might  have  been 
acted  upon,  "  I  have  no  doubt  of  it." 

"  But,"  Rosalio  went  on,  without  heeding  these 
half-inaudible  words,  u  now  you  come  to  tell  me 
that  you  wish  to  learn  all  that  I  know,  in  order  to 
find  the  vein  for  these  foreigners.  It  is  hard  to 
understand,  senor." 

"  What  concern  of  yours  is  it  to  attempt  to 
understand  it  ?"  Fernando  demanded  haughtily. 
"  If  I  pay  you,  is  not  that  enough  ?  " 

The  old  man  shook  his  head.  "No,  it  is  not 
enough,  senor,"  he  replied.  "For  I  must  not  only 
be  paid  for  what  I  can  tell  now,  but  I  must  have  a 
share  in  that  vein  when  it  is  found ;  and  there- 
fore I  must  deal  with  the  man  who  will  find  and 
own  it" 

The  young  eyes  and  the  old  ones  met  for  a 
minute,  and  the  latter  did  not  quail  before  the 
angry  light  which  shone  in  the  former.  The 
steady  gaze  of  those  keen  bright  orbs  was  indeed 
the  thing  which  told  Fernando  that  the  old  Indian 
held  him  in  his  power.  Whatever  his  terms,  they 
must  be  acceded  to,  or  else  he  might  carry  to 
Vyner  a  tale  that  would  sweep  away  all  hope  of 
his  (Fernando's)  ever  finding  the  great  lost  lode. 
So,  his  resolve  was  quickly  taken — Rosalio  must 
know  all,  and  be  so  closely  bound  by  chains  of 


THE  LOST  LODE.  35 

interest  that  treachery  would  become  impossible. 
Therefore  it  was  with  a  strong  effort  to  control 
himself  that  he  spoke : 

"  Whether  you  understand  me  or  not,  at  least  I 
understand  you,  Rosalio — and  that  very  well. 
And  if  what  you  can  tell  proves  to  be  of  real  value, 
you  shall  have  your  terms ;  for  when  that  vein  is 
found,  I  or  no  other  man,  will  be  its  owner.  I 
wish  to  know  where  to  look  for  it,  in  order  that  it 
may  not  be  found  at  present.  Now  tell  me  all  that 
you  know,  and  I  will  give  you  a  hundred  dollars 
for  the  information. 

"  Five  hundred,  senor,  no  less,"  the  other  an- 
swered calmly, "because  I  do  not  boast,  but  speak 
the  truth,  when  I  say  that  I  know  where  the  veta 
madre  may  be  found.  There  are  tales  that  it  came 
to  an  end,  that  the  ore  no  longer  paid.  That  is 
not  true.  Those  tales  were  spread  to  save  the  mine 
in  times  of  danger ;  and  I  was  one  of  the  three 
men  who  covered  up  the  lode  and  blockaded  the 
passages  that  led  to  it.  We  were  sworn  never  to 
betray  the  secret ;  but  all  are  dead  now  save  me, 
both  of  those  who  ordered  and  those  who  did  the 
work ;  so  there  is  no  further  reason  why  I  should 
keep  the  oath.  And  I  have  only  waited  to  find 
who  will  be  likely  to  pay  the  most  for  what  I  can 
tell." 

"If  this  be  true,"  said  Fernando,  who  had 
grown  very  pale,  there  is  no  need  of  your  inform- 
ation. We  have  only  to  clear  out  all  the  old  pas- 


36  THE  LOST  LODE. 

sages  and  workings  until  we  find  the  vein  where 
you  left  it." 

The  old  man  made  an  indifferent  gesture  with 
his  hands  and  shoulders.  "  Try,"  he  said,  lacon- 
ically, "and  when  you  have  failed  you  will  be  glad 
to  come  to  Rosalio.  We  did  not  do  our  work  by 
halves." 

"  And  if  I  believe  you,  and,  to  save  time  and 
labor,  pay  even  the  price  you  ask  for  what  you 
can  tell,  are  you  sure  enough  of  yourself  to  be 
certain  that  in  all  these  years  you  have  forgotten 
nothing  ?  " 

"Nothing!"  was  the  firm  answer.  "It  is 
clearer  here" — he  touched  his  head — "  than  things 
which  happened  yesterday.  I  have  asked  the  men 
now  working  in  the  mine  where  they  are  seeking 
the  lode,  and  I  smiled  when  they  told  me.  For 
they  will  never  find  it  there." 

"  I  am  sure  of  that,"  said  Fernando,  "  and  it  is 
because  I  wish  to  remain  sure  of  it  that  I  go  into 
the  mine.  Now,  understand  that  this  is  but  the 
beginning  of  things  between  us.  I  will  come 
again,  and  then  we  will  arrange  everything. 
Meanwhile  take  this  " — there  was  the  click  of 
silver — "  and  be  as  silent  as  if  thou,  too,  were  dead 
like  the  rest." 

"  I  have  been  silent  for  thirty  years,"  the  old 
Indian  answered  with  dignity,  "and  it  is  not 
likely  I  shall  speak  now  without  good  reason." 

This  was  so  true  that  Fernando  felt  he  had  nothing 


LOSt  LODE.  87 

to  fear  as  he  rode  away  from  the  door  of  the  hum- 
ble dwelling  that  sheltered  so  good  a  secret.  And 
now  to  see  Vyner !  But,  knowing  that  gentleman 
was  riot  likely  to  be  astir  so  early,  he  went  to  the 
home  of  a  friend,  breakfasted,  and  two  hours  later 
presented  himself  at  the  door  of  the  house  where 
the  young  Englishman  had  his  quarters. 

These  were  as  luxurious  as  they  could  be  made 
in  such  a  place,  and  with  the  limited  means  of 
transportation  at  command.  Vyner  had  rented 
one  of  the  best  houses  in  the  town,  and  brought, 
in  ox-carts,  and  on  mule-back,  the  furniture  which 
filled  his  rooms,  from  a  city  more  than  a  hundred 
miles  distant.  From  a  flowery  patio,  surrounded 
by  brick-paved,  tile-roofed  corridors,  Fernando  was 
shown  into  a  sala  the  floor  of  which  was  covered 
with  rugs,  while  easy-chairs  and  couches  were 
placed  about  carelessly  in  a  manner  strange  to 
Mexican  eyes,  tables  were  covered  with  books  and 
papers,  and  extended  in  a  long,  cane  chair  by  one 
of  these,  smoking  and  reading,  was  Vyner  himself. 

He  looked  up,  threw  down  his  paper,  and  rose 
with  a  cordial  air  when  he  saw  who  was  his  vis- 
itor. It  struck  Fernando  that  never  had  the  usu- 
ally languid  and  supercilious  man  met  him  so 
graciously  before. 

"  Ah,  Sefior  Sandoval,"  he  said,  "  I  am  very 
glad  to  see  you.  Pray  be  seated,  and  let  me  offer 
you  some  refreshment  after  your  ride." 

"  Many  thanks,  sefior,"  Fernando  replied,  with 

449310 


88  THE  LOST  LODE. 

the  courteous  gesture  of  the  hand  which  signifies 
a  negative  ;  "  I  have  just  breakfasted.  I  was  un- 
fortunate in  being  absent  from  home  when  you 
called  to  see  me  yesterday,  but  my  father  delivered 
your  message  to  me,  and  so — I  am  here." 

"  To  tell  me,  I  hope,  that  you  will  accept  my 
proposal,"  said  Vyner.  "  Pray  take  a  cigar.  I 
can  recommend  them  as  good.  I  am  well  aware," 
he  went  on,  after  the  cigar  had  been  accepted, 
"  that  I  may  have  seemed  a  little  presumptuous 
in  making  such  a  proposal.  But  you  have  an  in- 
terest in  the  mine  almost  as  great  as  ours;  for 
unless  we  can  find  the  value  promised,  we  shall 
not,  of  course,  purchase  it ;  and  so  it  occurred  to 
me  that  you  might  be  willing  to  do  anything  that 
you  could  to  insure  success." 

"  Fernando's  throat  seemed  a  little  husky,  so 
that  he  could  not  reply  at  once  ;  but  after  a  mo- 
ment he  answered  that  it  was  certainly  very  much 
to  his  interest  that  the  present  owners  should  suc- 
ceed in  working  the  mine,  and  that  his  best  efforts 
were  at  their  service  to  assist  in  securing  that 
success. 

"I  had  no  doubt  of  it,"  said  Vyner,  "and  there- 
fore I  offered  you  a  position  which  under  other 
circumstances  I  am  aware  that  it  would  hardly  be 
worth  your  while  to  accept.  But,  since  our  inter- 
est lies  in  the  same  direction,  we  must  work  to- 
gether to  win  success  as  soon  as  possible.  My 
people  in  London  are  urging  me  to  find  the  veta 


THE  LOST   LODE.  39 

madre,  and  I  am  sparing  no  effort  to  do  so ;  but  I 
need  a  Mexican  to  superintend  the  work,  one  who 
will  understand  and  can  manage  the  men,  and 
whose  interest,  like  my  own,  is  to  discover  the  lost 
lode  as  speedily  as  possible.  Therefore  I  have  ap- 
plied to  you." 

Perhaps  Fernando  had  never  felt  until  now  how 
difficult  was  the  part  he  had  undertaken  to  play ; 
for  it  is  one  thing  to  plot  treachery,  and  another 
to  execute  it  in  the  face  of  trust.  Blinded  by  pas- 
sionate, overmastering  desire,  he  had  not  thought 
of  all  the  dissimulation  and  double-dealing  in- 
volved in  the  course  upon  which  he  had  entered. 
For  one  moment  he  hesitated.  Even  yet  it  was 
not  too  late  ;  he  might  still  decline  to  enter  into 
this  man's  service,  though  keeping  his  own  coun- 
sel regarding  what  he  knew.  Guadalupe's  im- 
ploring eyes  rose  before  him ,  but  so  strangely  are 
human  hearts  constituted,  that  it  was  her  image 
which  steeled  his  wavering  resolve.  No,  the  road 
upon  which  he  had  entered  was  the  road  that  led 
to  her  ;  and  he  would  take  it,  no  matter  through 
what  dark  ways  of  deception  it  led,  even  though 
the  foul  fiend  stood  at  the  end  !  But  in  order  to 
excuse  his  hesitation  he  said : 

"  There  is  one  obstacle  to  my  accepting  the  po- 
sition you  offer,  senor — I  have  no  practical  knowl- 
edge of  mining." 

"  That  is  not  necessary,"  Vyner  replied,  as  he 
had  already  replied  to  the  same  objection  from  Ig- 


40  THE   LOST  LODE. 

nacio.  "  I  shall  direct  the  work  ;  you  will  only 
be  required  to  see  that  my  orders  are  faithfully 
executed." 

A  gleam  came  into  Fernando's  eyes.  "  You  are 
sure  that  I  shall  have  no  responsibility,  that  no 
direction  of  the  work  will  be  thrown  upon  me  ?  " 
he  inquired. 

"  Not  the  least,"  Vyner  answered.  "  Set  your 
mind  at  rest  on  that  point.  I  allow  no  one  else  to 
direct  the  work  in  a  mine  of  which  I  am  in  charge. 
I  shall  indicate  where  the  work  is  to  be  done,  and 
you  will  see  that  it  is  done — that  is  all." 

"  Then  I  accept  the  position,"  said  the  young 
man  in  a  clear,  resolute  tone.  "  If  I  am  to  have 
no  responsibility,  if  no  direction  rests  with  me, 
there  is  no  reason  why  I  should  hesitate  longer. 
Senor  Vyner,  consider  me  in  your  service,"' 


CHAPTER  V. 

AND  so  it  came  to  pass  that,  much  to  the 
surprise  of  his  friends  and  acquaintances — who, 
in  Mexico  as  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  are 
prone  to  interest  themselves  in  what  does  not  con- 
cern them — Fernando  Sandoval  went  into  the  Es- 
piritu  Santo  Mine  as  its  manager,  subject  to  Mr. 
Vyner.  It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  upon  the  com- 
ments that  passed  freely  from  lip  to  lip,  or  upon 
the  taciturn  but  unmistakable  disapproval  of  his 
father;  for  the  young  man  paid  absolutely  no 
heed  to  these  things.  A  change  had  come  over 
him  as  every  one  felt  and  not  a  few  remarked. 
Once  full  of  frank  friendliness  to  all  the  world,  a 
good  comrade  and  pleasant  companion,  he  was  now 
become  what  the  people  characterize  as  "  corto  " — 
short  in  speech,  reserved  in  manner,  and  with  an 
air  of  almost  moody  preoccupation  on  his  hand- 
some face.  "  He  is  like  a  man  under  a  spell," 
some  of  them  said,  and  indeed  it  was  the  most 
potent  spell  known  to  earth,  that  had  been  laid 
upon  him — the  spell  of  an  overwhelming  desire 
for  the  gold  which  brings  all  things,  and  the  pos- 
session of  which,  in  this  as  in  many  another  case, 
could  only  be  compassed  by  the  loss  of  honor  and 
peace  of  conscience. 

(41) 


42  THE  LOST   LODE. 

In  these  days  even  Guadalupe's  sweet  dark  eyes 
appealed  to  him  in  vain.  Ever  since  the  night  on 
which  she  had  spoken  so  freely  to  him  a  cloud  had 
lain  between  them  which  the  girl  strove  in  vain  to 
lift.  If  not  his  heart,  at  least  his  mind  and  his 
purposes  were  locked  away  from  her.  Save  for 
what  he  had  in  a  measure  revealed  that  night,  his 
intentions  were  as  much  a  mystery  to  her  as  to 
any  one  else — a  mystery  at  least  as  far  as  the 
means  by  which  he  proposed  to  meet  his  end  were 
concerned  ;  but  of  the  nature  of  that  end  she  had 
not  a  moment's  doubt.  Many  women  would  have 
deceived  themselves  on  this  point,  many  more 
would  have  acted  on  the  opinion  that  a  man's  bus- 
iness did  not  concern  them,  and  that  it  was  more 
convenient  not  to  know  of  methods  which  con- 
science might  possibly  be  forced  to  condemn,  and 
which  would  perhaps  interfere  with  the  enjoyment 
of  results  when  obtained.  But  such  convenient 
sophistry  and  blindness  were  not  possible  to  this 
girl.  She  not  only  loved  the  man  with  a  simplic- 
ity and  directness  of  passion  unknown  to  more 
complicated  natures,  but  the  very  greatness  of  her 
love  enabled  her  to  see  where  he  was  weakest,  and 
to  lend  an  agonized  strength  to  her  desire  to  save 
him.  She  knew,  and  she  alone,  in  what  tempta- 
tion he  stood,  what  peril  to  his  honor  and  his  soul. 
She  could  not  approach  him  again  with  words 
unless  he  gave  her  the  opportunity  to  do  so ;  but 
her  eyes  pleaded  with  him  ceaselessly;  and  he, 


THE  LOST  LODE.  43 

reading  their  meaning  well,  turned  impatiently 
from  glances  which  he  did  not  intend  to  heed. 

But  one  person,  at  least,  was  very  well  satisfied 
with  the  state  of  affairs,  and  that  was  Vyner.  He 
had  no  more  trouble  with  his  miners.  Fernando 
managed  them  admirably,  and  there  were  no  more 
frictions,  no  more  complaints,  threatened  insubor- 
dination and  loss  of  valuable  men  to  irritate  him. 
All  things  went  smoothly  now,  his  orders  were 
executed  with  fidelity  and  despatch,  and  if  after 
the  lapse  of  a  month,  they  were  no  nearer  finding 
the  lost  lode  than  they  had  been  at  first,  it  was 
not  for  want  of  diligent  work,  money  lavishly 
spent,  and  science  applied  in  the  most  praise- 
worthy manner.  The  last,  however,  did  not  meet 
with  the  approval  which  no  doubt  it  deserved, 
from  the  Mexicans.  They  who  knew  but  one 
mode  to  work  a  mine,  and  that  is  to  get  at  the 
metal  in  the  shortest  way  possible,  regarded  with 
a  wonder  not  unmixed  with  contempt  the  vast 
amount  of  what  they  considered  useless  work  under- 
taken by  the  young  Englishman  on  scientific 
principles.  "The  mine  has  never  been  worked 
at  all,"  he  remarked  more  than  once  to  Sandoval. 
"It  has  been  burrowed  into,  and  a  great  deal  of 
metal  extracted,  no  doubt ;  but  it  has  never  been 
opened  so  as  to  be  really  worked  to  any  advan- 
tage." 

"  It  has  only  yielded  about  a  hundred  millions," 
said  the  Mexican  calmly,  "which  looks  as  if  it  had 


44  THE  LOST  LODE. 

been  worked  to  very  great  advantage.  But  it  is 
not  our  habit  to  put  a  fortune  into  a  mine  in  ex- 
tensive works  before  we  take  anything  out." 

"  Unless  a  mine  is  well  opened  at  the  first,  you 
can  never  tell  where  you  are  or  what  you  have 
got.  It  is  all  a  matter  of  chance,  and  you  are 
liable  to  lose  your  lode  any  time  as  it  has  been 
lost  here,"  Vyner  replied.  "  Now,  when  I  strike 
the  vein  there  will  be  no  danger  of  loss.  The 
lode  will  be  found  once  for  all." 

"  Yes,"  said  Fernando.  There  was  no  sign  of 
amusement  on  his  impassive  face.  "And  when 
do  you  think  that  you  will  find  it  ?" 

"  Within  the  next  fortnight,"  Vyner  answered 
confidently.  "  I  am  certain  that  the  vein  lies  ex 
actly  in  the  direction  in  which  we  are  advancing, 
and  when  we  reach  it  we  shall  find  a  large  body 
of  metal.  Put  as  many  men  as  possible  on  the 
work  and  press  forward.  I  am  growing  very  im- 
patient to  be  able  to  report  that  I  have  found  this 
lode,  for  the  money  expended  in  the  work  has 
been  very  considerable." 

Fernando  permitted  himself  a  slight,  sardonic 
smile  as  the  other  mounted  his  horse — they  had 
been  standing  at  the  entrance  of  the  mine — and 
rode  away.  "No  doubt,"  he  said  to  himself,  "it 
has  been  considerable  ;  and  you  may  spend  ten, 
twenty,  a  hundred  times  as  much,  and  bore 
through  the  mountain,  without  finding  what  you 
seek.  So  much  for  your  science  !  " 


THE  LOST  LODE.  46 

Comfortably  unconscious  of  this  contemptuous 
opinion,  Vyner  rode  down  the  steep  mountain- 
path  and,  when  he  reached  the  valley,  took  the 
short-cut  across  the  lands  of  La  Providencia.  It 
had  become  his  habit  to  stop  now  and  then  at  the 
hacienda,  where  a  courteous  welcome  always  await- 
ed him.  He  did  not  pretend  to  disguise  to  him- 
self from  what  source  his  gratification  in  these 
visits  was  derived.  Certainly  it  was  not  from  his 
conversations  with  Don  Ignacio — interesting  as 
these  might  have  proved  to  a  different  man — nor 
yet  from  the  cup  of  chocolate  Senora  Sandoval  was 
always  ready  to  offer  him.  These  things  would 
not  have  tempted  him  even  once  to  turn  aside 
from  his  road  and  mount  the  hill  on  which  the  casa 
stood ;  but  the  chance  of  seeing  Guadalupe  did 
tempt  him  again  and  again.  Had  any  one  suggest- 
ed that  he  was  in  love  with  her,  he  would  only 
have  smiled,  for  he  thought  that  all  possibilities  of 
such  passion  had  long  since  been  exhausted  in  his 
nature,  if  indeed  they  had  ever  existed  there.  It 
was  a  sentiment  very  different  from  anything  so 
primitive  (he  would  have  said)  which  bound  him 
in  the  chains  of  a  fascination  not  easily  character- 
ized to  a  woman  in  distant  England  ;  but  this  en- 
tanglement did  not  interfere  in  the  least  with  the 
fancy  which  filled  his  vacant  hours  for  the  beautiful 
Mexican  girl,  and  made  his  visits  to  La  Provi- 
dencia so  frequent. 

Not  that  it  followed  by  any  means  that  he 


46  THE  LOST   LODE. 

always  saw  her  on  these  visits.  Indeed  he  could 
not  flatter  himself  that  he  ever  did  see  her  except 
by  accident,  and  an  accident  which  was  evidently 
a  matter  of  absolute  indifference  to  her.  The 
tranquillity  of  her  manner  had  never  varied  from 
that  of  the  first  day  he  had  seen  her  ;  yet  if  there 
was  any  one  for  whom  Guadalupe  felt  a  sentiment 
closely  approaching  to  repugnance,  it  was  to  this 
Englishman,  who  seemed  to  her  to  stand  some- 
what in  the  guise  of  Fernando's  tempter — an  un- 
conscious tempter,  it  was  true ;  but  nevertheless 
one  who  had  offered  him  an  opportunity  which 
else  he  might  have  lacked.  Therefore  his  visits 
were  anything  but  a  pleasure  to  her,  and  she 
shrank  out  of  sight  whenever  he  entered  the 
house,  if  such  a  thing  were  at  all  possible. 

But  on  this  afternoon  it  was  not  possible.  Vy- 
ner  was  met  by  one  of  the  young  men — Don  Ig- 
nacio's  many  sons  were  of  all  ages — and  intro- 
duced at  once  into  the  house,  although  both  the 
heads  of  the  family  chanced  to  be  absent.  It  de- 
volved upon  Guadalupe  therefore,  who  in  the  de- 
fault of  a  daughter  always  took  the  place  of  one, 
to  come  and  offer  the  mariendo^  or  afternoon  choc- 
olate, to  the  guest.  He  accepted  it,  more  for  the 
pleasure  of  being  served  by  her  than  for  any 
other  reason,  and  on  a  table  in  one  corner  of  the 
corridor  a  frothy  cup  of  the  mild,  sweet  beverage 
was  soon  placed,  together  with  a  tray  of  bread 
and  cakes.  As  Vyner  dawdled  over  the  collation, 


THE   LOST   LODE.  47 

at  which  courtesy  required  that  Guadalupe  should 
bear  him  company,  although  Felipe,  growing 
tired,  soon  found  an  excuse  to  vanish,  he  felt  very 
well  repaid  for  his  ride,  of  which  this  had  really 
been  the  objective  point.  The  corridor,  or  gallery, 
on  which  he  sat,  extended  on  three  sides  of  the 
open  court  around  which  the  house  was  built,  the 
fourth  side  being  formed  by  a  wall,  through  which 
a  door  led  to  the  corrals  beyond.  Over  this  wall 
a  vine,  bearing  great  clusters  of  purple  flowers, 
flung  itself  in  wild  luxuriance,  forming  a  splendid 
mass  of  color  ;  in  the  midst  of  the  patio  a  tall 
palm-tree  lifted  its  royal  crown  of  plumy  foliage 
far  above  the  house  ;  golden  roses  climbed  against 
the  white  pillars  that  supported  the  roof  of  the 
corridors,  and  as  the  afternoon  breeze  entered  the 
court  and  stirred  the  leaves  and  blossoms,  a  waft 
of  almost  overpowering  fragrance  came  to  Vyner 
from  a  great  straggling  bush  of  heliotrope  just 
before  him.  Never  after  did  the  odor  of  helio- 
trope reach  him  without  conjuring  up  the  foreign, 
picturesque  scene — the  sky  of  burning  turquoise 
looking  down  into  the  court  so  full  of  tropical 
forms  and  colors  ;  the  wide,  shaded  galleries,  with 
large,  cool  rooms  opening  upon  them  ;  the  sounds 
of  women's  voices  talking  voluble  Spanish  in  the 
kitchen,  and  the  beautiful,  delicate  face  of  the 
girl  who  sat  opposite  him,  with  a  rebosa  of  some 
silky  material  thrown  lightly  over  her  graceful 
head  and  flung  in  lines  of  perfect  drapery  across 


48  THE  LOST  LODE. 

her  shoulders.  "  What  a  picture  she  would 
make  ! "  thought  the  young  man,  although  there 
was  little  of  the  artist  in  his  soul  ;  and  then  he 
found  himself  wondering  what  was  the  meaning 
of  the  intent,  almost  wistful  gaze  which  he  met 
more  than  once  in  her  eyes. 

"You  will  allow  me?"  he  said,  taking  out  his 
cigar-case  after  having  finally  finished  the  cup  of 
chocolate.  "It  is  a  charming  characteristic  of 
Mexican  ladies  that  they  never  object  to  tobacco 
— and  I  cannot  resist  the  pleasure  of  resting  here 
a  little  longer.  The  ride  to  the  mine  is  a  fatigu- 
ing one." 

"  You  found  everything  going  well  at  the  mine, 
I  hope,"  she  said  with  the  wistfulness  of  glance 
he  had  already  noted,  and  a  hesitation  of  manner 
new  to  her.  "  And  my  cousin — he  executes  your 
orders  according  to  your  wishes  ?  " 

"  Admirably,"  answered  Vyner,  who  felt  for 
once  disposed  to  make  himself  amiable.  "  He  is 
the  most  capable  subordinate  that  I  have  ever  had  ; 
understands  at  once  what  I  wish  done,  and  sees 
that  my  orders  are  executed  promptly  and  faith- 
fully. I  shall  always  be  grateful  to  Don  Fernan- 
do for  the  relief  from  annoyance  which  he  has  se- 
cured to  me,"  he  added,  turning  his  face  aside  to 
let  out  a  delicate  cloud  of  blue,  fragrant  smoke 
from  between  his  lips. 

Because  his  face  was  turned  he  did  not  see  the 
swift  expression  that  crossed  Guadalupe's.  In 


THE  LOST   LODE.  49 

truth  his  words  of  praise  for  Fernando  smote  her 
with  a  hot  sense  of  shame  and  reproach,  as  if  her- 
self had  been  a  traitor  ;  and  these  feelings  were 
mirrored  for  an  instant  in  her  sensitive  counte- 
nance. But  she  clasped  her  hands  together  tightly 
in  her  lap,  under  cover  of  the  table,  and  spoke 
with  her  usual  quietness  : 

"  And  the  lost  lode — is  there  a  prospect  that 
you  will  find  it  ?  " 

He  smiled.  "  It  is  only  a  question  of  time  find- 
ing that,"  he  said  lightly.  "  It  was  lost  because 
there  was  no  scientific  knowledge  in  the  method 
of  working  the  mine.  We  are  approaching  the 
spot  where  I  expect  to  strike  it  ;  and  in  a  few  days 
I  shall  be  able  to  report  how  much  of  the  old,  fab- 
ulous bonanza  is  left." 

A  flash  of  hope  came  into  her  eyes,  giving  them 
a  sudden  radiance  that  was  not  lost  upon  Vyner, 
though  he  wondered  a  little  what  he  had  said  to 
account  for  it.  Ah,  if  this  were  but  true  ! — if  the 
lost  lode  could  be  found !  "  Madre  de  Dios,  grant 
that  it  may  be  so  !  "  the  girl  whispered  to  her- 
self. Whether  Fernando  had  failed  in  his  plans, 
or  whether  he  had  abandoned  them,  did  not  mat- 
ter very  much  so  long  as  the  mercy  of  Heaven 
saved  him  from  actual  treachery  and  dishonor.  A 
wonderful  sweetness  was  in  her  face  as  she  looked 
at  Vyner. 

"  I  hope  that  it  may  be  so,  seilor,"  she  said  earn- 
estly. "  I  trust  that  you  may  find  the  lode  very 
4 


50  THE  LOST  LODE. 

soon.  For  you  must  be  in  much  suspense  until  it 
is  reached,  not  knowing  if  it  has  been  exhausted 
or  not.  My  cousin  does  not  spare  himself  in  your 
service,"  she  added,  glad  not  to  shrink  from  men- 
tioning Fernando's  connection  with  the  mine. 
"  We  hardly  see  him  at  all.  Night  as  well  as  day 
he  is  at  the  mine." 

"  Don  Fernando  is  very  vigilant,"  said  Vyner, 
"but  I  am  not  responsible  for  monopolizing  so 
much  of  his  time,  senorita.  Of  late  we  have  not 
been  working  in  the  mine  at  night." 

He  did  not  think  of  the  significance  his  words 
might  bear  until  he  was  startled  by  their  effect 
upon  her.  The  light  died  out  of  her  eyes  as  sud- 
denly as  the  flame  of  a  candle  is  extinguished, 
and  she  turned  pale  to  the  lips.  Vyner  could  not 
doubt  that  his  information  had  dealt  a  blow — how 
deep  he  could  only  guess  by  the  expression  of  her 
face.  He  saw  at  once  that  Fernando  had  cloaked 
absences  from  home  by  a  pretext  of  work  in  the 
mine  that  did  not  exist;  but  why  Guadalupe 
should  be  so  much  concerned  thereat  he  did  not 
know.  He  was  only  sorry  that  he  had  so  abruptly 
enlightened  her. 

"  It  is  possible,"  he  added,  hesitating  a  little,  in 
his  doubt  what  to  say,  "  that  he  may  have  been 
working  some  of  the  men  at  night  without  con- 
sulting me.  He,  too,  is  very  anxious  to  find  the 
lode." 

"  Yes,"  said  Guadalupe.     Her  lips  felt  dry  and 


THE  LOST   LODE.  51 

stiff,  as  she  uttered  the  word  that  seemed  to  her  to 
contain  a  terrible  irony  of  assent.  Anxious  to 
find  the  lode !  That,  then,  was  what  Fernando 
was  doing  in  the  long  nights  when  she  had  lain 
awake,  listening  vainly  for  his  coming  and  pray- 
ing for  him.  Her  heart  turned  sick  with  the  re- 
vulsion from  the  hope  of  a  moment  before,  and 
she  dropped  her  eyes  that  Vyner  might  not  read 
in  them  the  fear  that  filled  her  soul. 

He  read  enough,  however,  to  see  that  she  was 
much  disturbed,  and  that  his  pleasant  hour  was 
over.  With  a  very  sincere  inward  malediction 
upon  Fernando,  he  rose  to  go.  "  There  is  some 
mystery,"  he  thought,  as  he  rode  away.  "  That 
cousin  of  hers  is  after  some  mischief,  which  she 
suspects.  But  what  is  it  to  her  ?  " 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IN  the  strange  chances  of  human  affairs  it  is 
sometimes  difficult  to  say  what  is  due  to  accident, 
and  what  to  that  powerful  yet  seemingly  blind  in- 
fluence which  the  ancients  called  Fate,  and  for 
which  the  moderns  have  found  no  better  name ; 
but  it  was  apparently  an  accident,  pure  and  sim- 
ple, that  turned  Vyner's  conjectures  regarding 
Guadalupe,  and  her  concern  over  her  cousin's  ab- 
sence, into  the  channel  of  suspicion  regarding  the 
mine. 

It  was  about  an  hour  after  he  had  left  the  haci- 
enda, as  he  was  nearing  the  town,  riding  slowly  in 
the  short  but  exquisite  interval  between  sunset 
and  nightfall,  that  he  overtook  a  man  walking 
with  long,  elastic  steps  by  the  side  of  the  road, 
who  turned  and  saluted  him.  Vyner  knew  him 
at  once  as  one  of  the  miners,  whose  stalwart 
frame  and  intelligent  face  he  had  often  remarked, 
and  in  this  idle  moment  there  seemed  nothing  bet- 
ter to  do  than  to  draw  rein  by  his  side  and  ex- 
change a  few  words,  while  observing  the  effective 
picture  he  made  as  he  kept  step  easily  with  the 
horse — a  tall,  straight,  finely-formed  figure,  with 
head  superbly  poised  and  features  of  striking  reg- 
ularity, the  clear  bronze  of  his  skin  contrasting 
(52) 


THE  LOST  LObfi.  63 

with  his  white  cotton  garments  and  the  red 
blanket  he  carried  flung  over  his  shoulder. 

"  And  so,  Antonio,"  said  Vyner,  "  you  are  on 
your  way  into  town.  It  is  a  long  walk  after  a 
day's  work;  do  you  take  it  every  night?" 

"Yes,  senor,"  the  man  answered,  looking  up 
with  dark,  liquid  eyes  under  the  shade  of  his 
wide  somebrero.  "  Since  we  no  longer  work  in 
the  mine  at  night,  I  prefer  to  go  to  the  town.  The 
walk  is  little  to  me — I  am  strong.  And  Don  Fer- 
nando does  not  wish  the  men  to  remain  at  the 
mine,"  he  added,  after  a  pause  long  enough  to 
give  a  shade  of  significance  to  the  words. 

Vyner  was  conscious  of  a  sense  of  surprise,  but 
he  did  not  answer  for  a  moment.  Then  he  said 
quietly,  "Why  does  he  object  to  their  remain- 
ing?" 

The  man  lifted  his  shoulders  with  the  gesture 
which  signifies  many  different  things.  "  Quien 
sale  ?  "  he  replied  in  the  invariable  formula  of  his 
people.  "  We  only  know  that  it  is  his  wish  that 
no  one  but  the  watchman  should  remain  near  the 
mine  at  night ;  so  most  of  the  men  sleep  in  the 
village  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  but  I  prefer 
to  go  to  the  town." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  while  the  man's 
feet  and  the  horse's  feet  beat  time  together  on  the 
dusty  road  and  the  last  fires  of  sunset  burned 
above  the  blue  mountain  crests.  Vyner  was 
looking  straight  before  him,  but  he  did  not  see 


64  THE  LOST  LODE. 

either  the  light,  flame-tinted  clouds,  or  the  broad, 
white  highway  that  stretched  to  the  yellow  walls 
and  masses  of  green  foliage  which  marked  the 
town.  Instead,  he  saw,  without  a  conscious  effort 
of  memory,  Guadalupe's  pale  face  with  its  startled 
expression ;  and  an  instinct  was  borne  in  upon 
him  that  there  was  some  connection  between  that 
expression  and  the  information  he  had  just  re- 
ceived. Why  did  she  look  so  strangely,  so  like 
one  who  had  received  a  blow,  when  she  heard  that 
the  mine  was  not  worked  at  night?  And  why 
should  Fernando  object  to  the  men  remaining 
there  at  night?  Vyner's  mind  was  acute  enough 
when  once  roused,  and  although  he  did  not  leap 
to  a  conclusion  sufficiently  to  say  to  himself  that 
some  treachery  was  on  foot,  he  felt  a  defined  sus- 
picion of  his  accomplished  subordinate  which  he 
determined  to  lose  no  time  in  putting  to  a  test. 
He  would  not  condescend  to  question  the  miner 
farther,  or  to  allow  him  to  suppose  that  matters 
were  going  on  in  the  mine  of  which  he  (Vyner) 
was  ignorant,  although  there  was  something  in  the 
man's  glance  which  seemed  to  convey  a  hint  of 
warning.  But  this  sign  of  intelligence  only 
made  the  young  Englishman  more  resolved  to  give 
no  opportunity  for  additional  disclosures.  What- 
ever was  to  be  learned,  he  would  learn  for  himself, 
not  from  servants  or  spies.  When  he  spoke  again, 
therefore,  it  was  to  ask  some  indifferent  question 
connected  with  the  progress  of  the  work,  and  a 


THE   LOST   LODE.  55 

few  minutes  later,  as  they  were  close  upon  the 
town,  he  touched  his  horse  with  the  spur  and  rode 
on. 

But  it  was  impossible  to  ride  away  from  the 
thoughts  which  had  been  suggested,  and  indeed  he 
had  no  desire  to  do  so.  His  languid  indifference 
fell  from  him  like  a  garment ;  the  mere  suspicion 
of  being  fooled  and  betrayed  roused  all  the  fire 
that  was  in  his  nature,  and  he  did  not  look  like  a 
man  who  would  be  very  pleasant  to  deal  with  as, 
with  bent  brows  and  set  lips,  he  rode  through  the 
streets  of  the  town  to  his  own  house. 

There,  three  hours  later,  he  sat  on  the  corridor 
before  the  sala,  through  the  open  door  of  which  a 
reading-lamp  and  table  covered  with  books  and 
papers  showed  invitingly.  But  these  things  had 
no  attraction  for  him  to-night.  He  preferred  the 
semi-obscurity  of  the  wide  corridor,  where  he  sat 
smoking  and  looking  at  the  flower-filled  patio 
flooded  with  lustrous  moonlight,  for,  like  a  great 
silver  balloon,  the  moon  was  riding  high  in  the 
violet  heaven.  Of  the  beauty  of  lunar  radiance 
in  these  regions,  elevated  so  far  above  the  surface 
of  the  earth  into  the  tropical  sky,  language  can 
give  no  idea.  But  just  as  the  sunlight  possesses 
here  a  glory  which  lower  and  colder  lands  never 
know,  often  weighing  down  the  eyelids  by  daz- 
zling excess  of  light,  so  moonlight  becomes  an 
almost  unearthly  splendor,  a  divine  white  lustre 
which  renders  the  old  familiar  earth  a  veritable 


56  THE  LOST   LODE. 

land  of  enchantment,  and  turns  night  into  a 
fairer,  sublimated  day.  Nothing  could  have  been 
better  than  this  brilliant  light  for  the  purpose 
which  Vyner  was  meditating,  and  when  about 
half-past  ten  o'clock  a  servant  came  to  inquire  if 
he  should  close  the  house,  he  was  astonished  to 
receive  an  order  to  saddle  a  horse. 

"  Two  horses,  senor  ?  "  the  man  asked,  hesitating 
an  instant. 

"  No,"  Vyner  answered.  "  What  should  I  want 
with  two  horses?" 

"I  thought  that  since  he  is  going  out  in  the 
night,  the  senor  would  wish  me  to  accompany 
him,"  the  mozo  replied,  with  a  surprise  that  was 
evidently  for  the  question. 

But  Vyner,  like  most  of  his  race,  was  physic- 
ally fearless ;  and  the  thought  of  taking  the  man 
as  a  matter  of  precaution  did  not  occur  to  him. 
He  was  going  on  an  errand  which  he  had  no  idea 
of  confiding  to  any  one,  and  he  replied  perempto- 
rily that  he  wanted  only  one  horse  and  would  go 
alone.  Alone,  therefore,  half  an  hour  later  he 
rode  away,  bidding  the  servant  be  on  guard  to 
admit  him  without  delay  when  he  returned. 

The  lustre  of  the  moonlight  made  everything 
as  clearly  perceptible  as  at  high  noontide,  when 
he  rode  along  the  silent  streets,  between  close- 
barred,  flat-roofed  houses  with  sharply  accentuated 
shadows,  around  the  plaza  with  its  empty  stone 
benches,  its  motionless  trees  and  plants,  and  the 


THE  .LOST   LODE.  57 

basin  of  its  fountain  lying  like  a  mirror  in  which 
the  sailing  queen  of  night  might  see  her  fairness 
reflected,  down  the  streets  where  occasional  groups 
of  people  were  gathered  about  a  still  open  door- 
way, or  a  picturesquely  draped  man  stood  talking 
through  the  window-bars  to  an  invisible  girl 
within.  Once  a  party  of  young  men  passed,  sing- 
ing softly  with  low,  full-throated  sounds,  and 
touching  lightly  now  and  then  the  strings  of  a 
guitar  which  one  of  them  held.  But  for  the  most 
part  the  streets  were  deserted,  with  only  the  bark 
of  a  dog  or  the  ring  of  his  horse's  hoofs  to  break 
their  stillness,  as  he  passed  on  out  into  the  open 
country,  where  the  white  glory  lay  spread  over 
the  wide  plain  and  encircling  heights,  revealing 
every  feature  of  the  scene  with  magical  clearness, 
while  not  a  leaf  stirred  or  animal  moved. 

The  air  was  deliciously  cool  and  fresh,  the 
moisture  of  the  night  sufficient  to  keep  the  light 
dust  from  rising,  and  the  expedition  began  to 
commend  itself  to  Vyner  as  a  rather  enjoyable  ex- 
perience. For  reflection  had  almost  convinced  him 
that  the  suspicion  which  had  suggested  itself  was 
absurd,  that  nothing  could  be  going  on  at  the 
mine  of  which  he  was  ignorant.  But  it  was  as 
well  to  satisfy  himself.  Guadalupe's  face  still 
rose  before  him  in  disagreeable  connection  with 
the  words  of  the  miner;  and  if  the  Senor  Don 
Fernando  Sandoval  was  indeed  playing  any  tricks, 
he  should  speedily  discover  that  he  (Vyner)  was 


58  THE  LOST  LODE. 

not  a  safe  man  to  play  them  upon.  So  he  rode  on, 
along  the  broad,  white  road,  through  the  silent 
valley,  while  the  night  seemed  to  grow  more  brill- 
iant with  every  passing  hour,  so  wonderful  was 
the  radiance  that  rested  like  a  mantle  of  silver 
over  the  far-reaching  landscape. 

He  entered  as  usual  the  gates  of  La  Provi- 
dencia,  skirting  the  hill  on  which  the  casa  stood, 
but  rising  to  a  level  with  it  as  he  reached  the  rear 
of  its  large  enclosure.  Everything  here  was 
wrapped  in  a  stillness  as  profound  as  that  which 
rested  elsewhere  ;  and  with  its  closed  doors  and 
high-encircling  wall,  the  house  presented  the 
appearance  of  a  fort.  Through  an  air  so  motion- 
less and  so  clear  sound  is  carried  far  with  wonder- 
ful distinctness,  and  it  was  not  surprising  that  the 
clatter  of  the  horse's  feet  on  the  stony  hillside, 
which  struck  loud  on  Vyrier's  own  ear,  should 
have  penetrated  with  almost  as  much  clearness  to 
another  ear,  strung  tense  with  painful  listening  in 
the  apparently  sleeping  house. 

For  Guadalupe,  lying  wide  awake,  heard  the 
first  distant  hoof-stroke  and  sprang  at  once  erect, 
saying  to  herself,  "Fernando!"  An  instant 
carried  her  to  the  open  window,  and  there,  as  the 
sound  came  nearer,  she  recognized  that  the  horse- 
man was  not  approaching  the  house  but  passing 
by.  She  leaned  out,  listening  eagerly,  all  her 
senses  quickened  by  apprehension,  and  in  a  few 
moments  was  convinced  that  the  rider,  whoever 


*HE  LOST  LODK,  69 

he  might  be,  was  going  to  the  mine,  since  he  rode 
toward  the  mountain,  and  where  else  in  those 
solitudes  could  any  one  be  bound?  Was  he 
Fernando  ?  No  one  else  (except  Vyner,  of  whom 
she  did  not  think)  was  likely  to  be  on  horseback. 
If  it  were  Fernando,  where  had  he  been,  and 
where  was  he  going  now?  Might  she  not  inter- 
cept him  and  stop  him,  induce  him  to  listen  to 
her  prayers  and  abandon  the  dark  work  he  had  in 
hand  ?  She  knew  the  road  ;  it  passed  around  the 
hill  and  after  a  wide  curve  passed  near  the  corrals 
at  the  back  of  the  house.  Could  she  not  speak  to 
him  there  ?  It  was  at  least  worth  while  to  make 
the  effort,  far  better  than  to  remain  passive  in 
powerlessness  and  misery.  She  paused  only  to 
thrust  her  feet  into  slippers  and  throw  a  shawl 
around  her,  then  quickly  and  noiselessly  sped  out 
into  the  moonlight-flooded  patio,  where  the  air 
was  heavy  with  the  languorous  perfume  of  flowers, 
through  the  back  courts,  past  the  stable  where 
the  mules  and  horses  stood,  through  a  corral 
where  the  great  oxen  lay  sleeping  heavily  near 
their  yokes  and  carts,  into  another  where  the 
cows,  brought  up  for  the  evening's  milking,  lifted 
their  heads  and  glanced  at  her,  and  so  came  to 
the  wall  which  was  the  outward  boundary  of  the 
premises.  Here  she  listened  for  a  moment.  Yes, 
she  was  in  time.  The  horseman  was  drawing 
near.  Sharp  and  clear  the  horse's  hoofs  rang 
uow  on  the  stillness  of  the  night  as  the  rider 


(50  THE  LOST  LODE, 

leisurely  mounted  the  acclivity  and  followed  the 
road  which  would  bring  him  within  a  few  feet  of 
the  wall. 

But  how  should  she  communicate  with  him 
through  the  wall,  which  was  at  least  ten  feet  high, 
and  in  which  there  was  no  gate  ?  This  she  had 
already  settled  in  her  mind.  The  wall  was  built 
of  rough,  unplastered  adobes,  very  thick,  but 
worn  and  broken  in  many  places  with  the  action 
of  time  and  weather,  thus  offering  a  rough  surface 
on  the  inner  side  which  it  was  possible  for  any 
one  with  great  agility,  and  indifference  to  abra- 
sions of  skin,  to  climb.  Guadalupe  felt  certain 
that  nerved  by  her  present  purpose,  she  could 
climb  it.  She  swept  one  glance  over  the  surface 
to  ascertain  the  best  place  for  her  venture,  and 
then  began  to  climb,  clutching  the  points  offered 
by  the  rough  bricks  with  her  delicate  hands,  and 
setting  her  small  feet  with  desperate  energy  into 
the  cavities  from  which  they  too  often  slipped. 
At  another  moment  she  must  have  failed,  for  the 
effort  was  indeed  a  desperate  one  ;  but  the  sound 
of  those  nearing  hoof-strokes  filled  her  with  the 
strength  and  courage  of  despair.  Another  instant 
and  Fernando  must  be  gone  beyond  her  reach. 
What  did  anything  else  matter  in  comparison  to 
saying  one  word  to  him,  one  word  which  might 
have  the  power  to  move  him!  Clasping  afresh 
the  sharp  and  brittle  points  of  brick,  she  raised 
herself  with  convulsive  energy  and  looked  over 


THK    l.OHT    hOl.L.  61 

the  wall.  The  rider  was  just  abreast  with  the 
spot  where  she  stood,  and  in  the  white  radiance 
of  the  moonlight  she  saw  him  clearly.  For  a 
moment  she  hung,  motionless  as  if  suddenly 
carved  in  stone,  with  the  words  she  had  been 
about  to  utter  frozen,  as  it  were,  on  her  lips. 
Her  dark  eyes  distended  as  she  looked  at  him  ; 
but  he  rode  by,  unconscious  of  their  gaze,  and 
when  she  saw  him  turn  up  the  mountain  toward 
the  mine  she  dropped,  heedless  of  her  torn  and 
bleeding  hands,  to  the  foot  of  the  wall  and  lay 
there  for  an  instant  as  if  she  had  fainted. 

But  it  was  only  for  an  instant.  Terror  roused 
her  quickly  to  action  and  life.  She  grasped  the 
situation  almost  without  thought.  Vjrner  had 
heard  or  suspected  something,  and  was  on  his  way 
to  the  mine  to  verify  the  report  or  suspicion. 
And  Fernando  was  there  !  Of  that  she  was  sure. 
What  he  was  doing  she  did  not  know  ;  only  an 
instinct  assured  her  that  it  was  something  which 
would  make  a  meeting  with  Vyner  of  terrible 
danger  to  both  men.  What  could  she  do  ?  Ah! 
pitying  God,  what  could  she  do  ?  Go  and  warn 
Fernando  ?  Was  that  possible  ?  Yes,  she  said  to 
herself,  with  Heaven  helping  her,  it  was  possible. 
Vyner,  it  is  true,  was  on  horseback  :  but  the  road 
was  circuitous  and  very  steep  that  wound  up  the 
mountain,  and  he  must  ride  slowly,  while  she 
knew  the  path  which  the  miners  always  followed 
in  ascending  and  descending  ;  a  straight  and 


62  THE  LOST   LODE. 

terrible  climb  up  the  mountain's  side,  but  counting 
barely  two  miles,  while  the  road  covered  five.  If 
she  could  make  those  two  miles  before  Vyner 
accomplished  his  five,  she  might  even  yet  save 
Fernando  from — God  alone  knew  what !  Detec- 
tion and  dishonor  certainly,  and  crime  perhaps,  for 
if  the  two  men  met  who  could  say  what  result 
might  follow  ? 

"I  can  but  try,"  she  thought;  and  gathering 
herself  up,  she  fled  swiftly  as  she  had  come,  pass- 
ing like  a  spirit  through  the  sleeping  animals, 
through  the  odorous  patio  where  the  arches  and 
pillars  of  the  corridor  lay  in  sharp,  black  outlines 
of  shadow  on  the  pavement,  and  the  household  ' 
slumbered  peacefully  behind  their  closed  doors, 
and  on  the  great  front  door,  the  massive  portals  of 
which  were  closely  barred,  while  a  mozo  lay  sleep* 
ing  on  his  mat  in  the  arched  passage  that  led  to 
it.  This  man  was  the  only  difficulty.  If  he 
waked — well,  she  must  run  the  risk  of  that,  and 
hope  in  such  case  to  induce  him  to  be  silent,  but 
he  slept  heavily,  and  murmuring  prayers,  that 
slipped  from  her  lips  like  the  beads  of  a  rosary 
through  the  fingers,  she  undid  the  bolts  and  bars 
that  at  another  time  would  have  defied  her  strength, 
swung  open  the  heavy  door  and  darted  away  like 
a  greyhound  into  the  white,  silent  night,  taking 
the  lonely  and  difficult  path  that  led  up  the 
mountain's  steep  ascent. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LITTLE  suspecting  whose  eyes  had  been  bent 
upon  him  as  he  passed  the  corrals  of  the  hacienda, 
Vyner  rode  up  the  mountain  pausing  now  and 
again  at  the  turns  of  the  winding  way  to  cast  a 
glance  over  the  prospect  that  lay  below  him 
flooded  with  silver  mist.  The  marvellous  beauty 
of  the  scene,  bathed  in  this  unearthly  radi- 
ance, touched  even  his  sluggish  faculty  of  admira- 
tion ;  and  as  he  mounted  higher  and  the  wonderful 
panorama  unrolled  to  its  farthest  mountain  bar- 
riers, while  the  air  grew  fresher  and  the  violet 
heaven  seemed  bending  nearer,  he  admitted  to 
himself  that  he  was  well  repaid  for  this  midnight 
ride  even  if  he  discovered  nothing. 

And  when  he  reached  the  mine  it  did  not  ap- 
pear as  if  he  were  likely  to  discover  anything,  or 
indeed  as  if  there  was  anything  to  be  discovered. 
All  was  wrapped  in  the  deep  repose  of  silence  and 
absolute  desertion.  In  the  brilliant  moonlight  the 
roughly-arched  entrance  of  the  tunnel  which  led 
into  the  mine,  with  its  massive  door  closed  and 
locked,  had  something  weird  in  its  appearance; 
and  unimaginative  as  he  was,  Vyner  thought  of 
Old  World  legends  of  gnomes  and  elves  and  their 
treasures  buried  in  the  deep  hearts  of  the  moun- 

(63) 


64  THE  LOST  LODE. 

tains.  He  dismounted  from  his  horse  and  fasten- 
ing the  animal,  looked  around  for  the  watchman, 
but  no  sign  of  this  functionary  was  visible. 
"  Asleep,  I  suppose,"  the  young  man  said  to  himself 
feeling  more  and  more  convinced  that  there  was 
no  foundation  for  the  suspicion  which  had  been 
excited  in  his  mind.  But  in  order  to  satisfy  him- 
self that  the  watchman  was  on  the  ground,  he, 
walked  toward  a  hut  near  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel, 
where  the  man  had  his  quarters.  The  moonlight 
poured  in  at  the  open  door  and  showed  his  re- 
cumbent form  wrapped  in  his  blanket  and  stretched 
on  the  mat  which  makes  the  sole  bed  of  the  labor- 
ing class  of  Mexico.  His  deep  breathing  was 
sufficient  evidence  that  he  slept  heavily,  and 
Vyner's  quick  sense  of  odor  assured  him  that 
there  was  a  special  reason  for  this  heaviness  of 
slumber.  The  peculiar  pungent  fumes  of  the  vino 
de  mescal  filled  the  small  apartment,  and  testified 
that  it  might  be  easier  to  waken  a  log  than  the  man 
who  lay  sleeping  under  its  influence.  Vyner  stood 
for  a  moment  looking  down  upon  him.  He  was 
evidently  intoxicated,  oblivious  and  unconscious 
of  everything;  and  on  perceiving  this  suspicion 
again  wakened  in  the  young  man's  mind.  With 
such  a  guardian  anything  was  possible.  He  felt 
now  that  he  could  not  leave  the  mine  without 
assuring  himself  farther  that  no  treachery  was 
going  on.  But  how  could  he  enter?  The  great 
fortress-like  door  was  locked,  and  the  key  was  of 


THE  LOST   LODE.  65 

course  in  the  possession  of  Fernando  Sandoval. 
He  felt  so  sure  of  this,  that  it  was  with  no  inten- 
tion of  searching  for,  or  hope  of  finding  it,  that 
his  glance  swept  over  the  inside  of  the  hut  and  was 
attracted  by  a  gleam  of  metal,  as  the  moonbeams 
fell  upon  a  rude  bench  opposite  the  door.  Re- 
vealed by  their  touch,  something  lay  shining  there 
that  bore  the  appearance  of  one  of  the  great  keys 
that  are  fashioned  in  Mexico  for  the  most  ordinary 
locks,  and,  that  might  serve  for  the  gates  of  a 
mediaeval  city.  He  made  a  step  forward  and  took 
it  up.  Yes,  it  was  the  key  ;  but  why  it  should  be 
lying  there  beside  the  sleeping  watchman  raised 
another  question  in  his  mind.  It  was  as  if  some 
one,  entering  hastily,  had  laid  the  key  carelessly 
down  and  forgotten  it.  But  who?  Vyner  did  not 
pause  to  consider  the  question.  With  the  key  in 
his  possession  entrance  to  the  mine  was  assured,  and 
turning  quickly  he  left  the  hut  and  walked  toward 
the  massive  door  set  in  the  frowning  rock. 

As  he  emerged  from  the  hut  into  the  broad 
moonlight  which  poured  full  upon  the  spot,  a 
breathless,  hurrying  figure  that  had  just  gained 
the  edge  of  the  forest  paused  with  what  barely 
escaped  being  a  cry  and  shrank  trembling  back 
into  the  shadow  of  the  trees.  Poor  Gaudalupe ! 
Not  for  one  instant  had  she  spared  herself  on  the 
steep  and  terrible  ascent.  She  who  had  never 
been  outside  the  walls  of  her  home  without  pro- 
tection had  not  heeded  the  loneliness  of  the  mid- 
5 


66  THE  LOST  LODE. 

night  and  of  the  forest,  had  not  thought  of  pos- 
sible danger  to  herself,  had  not  faltered  over  the 
exertion  which  would  have  taxed  the  energies  of 
the  strongest  man,  in  hurrying  without  rest  or 
pause  up  the  almost  precipitous  mountain-side  ; 
yet  despite  all,  Heaven  had  not  heard  her  prayers 
— she  came  too  late !  The  perception  of  this,  when 
she  saw  Vyner  emerge  from  the  watchman's  hut, 
seemed  for  a  moment  almost  to  annihilate  her. 
The  passionate  desire  to  attain  her  end  which 
until  now  had  upheld  her  was  in  that  instant  ex- 
tinguished in  bitter  disappointment,  and  her 
physical  frame  simply  collapsed.  She  sank  down 
on  the  ground  and  so  remained  in  the  shadow,  a 
dark,  motionless  heap. 

But  not  for  long.  She  had  indeed  failed  in  that 
for  which  she  had  come ;  she  was  too  late  to  warn 
Fernando,  but  her  anxiety  for  him  was  none  the 
less  like  a  consuming  fire.  Was  he  here?  was 
the  meeting,  the  conflict  she  feared  about  to  take 
place  ?  She  could  not  lie  down  and  die  from 
sheer  exhaustion  while  these  questions  were  yet 
unanswered.  She  lifted  her  head,  dragged  herself 
to  her  knees,  and,  sheltered  behind  the  trunk  of  a 
large  tree,  watched  with  eyes  full  of  burning  eag- 
erness the  movements  of  Vyner.  She  saw  him 
unlock  the  great  door,  light  a  candle  which  he  had 
brought  from  the  watchman's  hut,  and  enter  the 
mine.  She  followed  with  agonized  gaze  the  last 
flicker  of  his  light  as  he  disappeared  in  the  tunnel. 


THE  LOST  LODE.  67 

What  would  he  find  ?  She  forgot  to  take  comfort 
from  the  thought  that  the  door  having  been  locked, 
he  was  therefore  not  likely  to  find  anything  where 
he  had  gone.  She  only  longed  to  follow  him,  and 
knowing  this  was  impossible,  knelt  trembling  and 
praying  in  the  shadow  of  the  trees. 

Vyner  meanwhile  had  entered  the  tunnel,  with 
his  candle  held  before  him,  but  he  had  not  taken 
many  steps  when  he  was  surprised  by  a  peculiar 
noise  somewhat  like  the  beating  of  distant  drums, 
or  the  sound  of  machinery  in  motion,  which,  com- 
ing so  unexpectedly  to  his  ears  in  a  place  where 
the  quiet  of  the  grave  usually  reigned,  startled 
even  his  steady  nerves  that  were  already  perhaps 
a  little  tried  by  the  loneliness  of  the  situation  and 
the  possible  danger  of  the  errand  on  which  he  was 
bound.  He  stood  still,  listening  intently  and  con- 
scious that  his  heart  was  beating  more  quickly 
than  its  wont.  But  in  a  few  seconds  the  whirring 
noise  came  nearer  and  nearer,  until  he  was  encom- 
passed by  a  cloud  of  flying  objects  that  sur- 
rounded the  light  in  his  hand  and  flew  in  his  face, 
nearly  smothering  him.  He  struck  at  them  right 
and  left,  and  succeeded  in  clearing  them  away 
sufficiently  to  see  that  they  were  myriads  of  bats 
which  had  been  roused  from  their  slumbers  in  the 
roof  of  the  tunnel,  and  attracted  by  the  light  of  the 
candle,  rushed  toward  it.  He  recovered  himself, 
smiled  at  his  momentary  dismay,  and,  passing  on, 
descended  the  shaft  which  led  into  the  mine  and 


68  THE  LOST   LODE. 

entered  its  lower  levels.  Here  stillness  reigned, 
broken  only  by  the  musical  sound  of  trickling 
water  as  it  percolated  through  the  crevices  of  the 
rock,  and  fell  into  the  deep  pool  at  the  bottom  of 
the  shaft  which  formed  its  receptable,  from  whence 
the  gigantic  pump  forced  it  to  the  surface  and 
thus  drained  the  mine.  In  these  dark  galleries 
Vyner's  solitary  candle  made  but  a  faint  illumin- 
ation, yet  even  its  rays,  striking  on  the  sides  of 
the  rocky  walls,  showed  now  and  then  brilliant 
effects  from  the  masses  of  metal,  shining  with 
moisture,  in  which,  like  jewels  gleaming  out  of 
the  obscurity,  the  glistening  fragments  of  pyrites 
gave  back  the  light.  It  might  have  been  the 
treasure-house  of  the  gnomes  indeed,  to  all  ap- 
pearance at  these  moments;  but  Vyner  paid  no 
heed  to  this  delusive  brightness.  What  he  sought 
were  evidences  of  more  real  value.  He  was  de- 
termined to  discover  if  anything  was  being  con- 
cealed from  him  with  regard  to  the  vein — if  perhaps 
the  long-lost  lode  had  been  discovered  and  the 
discovery  not  reported  to  him — for  such  was  the 
definite  form  which  his  suspicion  had  taken. 
With  this  end  in  view  he  made  his  way  to  the 
farthest  point  where  the  work  had  penetrated, 
and  there,  holding  his  candle  close  to  the  wall 
of  the  rock,  examined  it  with  closest  attention, 
foot  by  foot. 

It  was  while  he  was  thus  engaged  that  a  sound 
came  to  his  ear  which  startled  him  far  more  than 


THE  LOST  LODE.  69 

the  onset  of  the  bats  had  done,  which,  in  fact,  as- 
tonished him  beyond  measure,  and  almost  caused 
him  to  drop  the  candle  from  his  hand. 

It  was  the  echo  of  a  dull,  distant  thud,  regu- 
larly recurring,  which  only  a  practiced  ear  could 
have  distinguished  in  the  first  place  or  understood 
in  the  second  ;  but  Vyner  had  been  enough  in 
mines  to  recognize  at  once  the  stroke  of  a  miner's 
pick,  the  sound  of  which  came  faint  but  distinctly 
audible  through  the  rock,  as  if  from  men  at  work 
far  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  Lost  in  amaze- 
ment, he  stood  for  several  minutes  listening,  with 
his  sense  of  hearing  strained  to  its  utmost  tension. 
Of  the  nature  and  meaning  of  the  sound  he  had 
not  an  instant's  doubt — but  where  was  it  ?  He 
had  been  through  all  the  workings  of  the  mine 
and  found  them  absolutely  deserted.  If  there 
were  any  other  workings  he  was  ignorant  of  their 
existence  ;  yet  such  workings  there  must  be,  for 
he  soon  satisfied  himself  that  the  sound  proceeded 
from  a  point  in  advance  of  where  he  stood,  though 
not  in  the  line  of  his  drift.  "  By  Heaven  !  "  he 
said  aloud,  and  his  voice  sounded  strangely  in  his 
own  ears,  as  it  rang  hollow  from  the  surrounding 
rocks,  "  there  is  dastardly  treachery  here  !  They 
are  working  on  the  vein,  and  they  have  some 
secret  entrance  to  the  mine  of  which  I  know  noth- 
ing ;  but  I  will  find  it!" 

He  turned,  fierce  determination  in  every  line  of 
his  face,  all  thought  of  prudence  forgotten,  all 


70  THE  LOST  LODfl, 

recollection  of  the  peril  he  would  incur  if,  alone 
and  unarmed,  he  should  come  upon  men  who 
might  be  rendered  desperate  by  discovery.  The 
idea  of  going  away,  and  returning  sensibly  and 
safely  on  the  morrow  to  search,  did  not  for  an  in- 
stant occur  to  him.  Fury  possessed  him — the 
fury  of  a  passionate  man  who  feels  himself  tricked 
and  deceived.  And  one  thought  only  filled  his 
soul — to  find  those  who  were  deceiving  him. 

With  candle  uplifted,  ominously  shining  eyes 
under  knitted  brows,  and  grimly  compressed  lips, 
he  went  again  through  all  the  workings  of  this 
part  of  the  mine,  carefully  examining  if  there 
were  any  means  of  access  to  the  point  beyond, 
from  whence  the  sounds  proceeded.  But  the 
closest  scrutiny  revealed  no  way  of  approach,  and 
he  finally  constrained  to  the  decision  that  entrance 
must  be  sought  from  the  surface.  Pausing,  there- 
fore, only  long  enough  to  locate  the  sound  as  well 
as  possible  and  fix  the  necessary  bearings  in  his 
mind,  he  took  his  way  back  to  the  upper  world, 
and  presently  came  out  from  the  tunnel  to  the 
white  glory  of  moonlight  and  the  fresh,  cool  air 
beyond. 

The  contrast  of  the  dark  depths  he  had  left  to 
the  divine  beauty  of  earth  and  heaven,  would  at 
another  moment  have  struck  him  deeply  ;  but 
now  he  was  too  much  absorbed  in  the  one  thought 
which  possessed  him  to  heed  it  at  all.  He  did  not 
pause  a  moment,  but,  to  Guadalupe's  surprise, 


THE   LOST   LODE.  71 

turned  sharply  and  strode  up  the  mountain,  which 
towered  several  hundred  feet  above  the  small 
plateau  before  the  entrance  of  the  tunnel.  He 
remembered  that  higher  up  were  the  deserted 
mouths  of  many  old  shafts  which  had  been  used 
in  the  ancient  working  of  the  mine,  but  were  now 
entirely  abandoned,  and  he  said  to  himself  that 
of  necessity  it  was  by  some  of  these  that  the  mine 
had  been  entered.  He  had  fixed  the  bearings  of 
the  betraying  sounds  below  so  well  in  his  mind 
that  he  had  no  difficulty  in  deciding  where  such  a 
shaft  would  probably  be  found ;  and  truly  enough, 
when  he  reached  the  spot  there  was  the  shaft  ; 
the  debris,  which  in  daytime  served  to  conceal  it, 
laid  to  one  side,  and  its  open  mouth  revealing  the 
notched  pole  which,  set  on  end,  serves  for  a  lad- 
der in  all  but  the  greatest  Mexican  mines. 

Of  Vyner's  prudence  it  is  impossible  to  say 
anything,  but  of  his  courage  there  can  be  no 
question,  for  recognizing  at  once  that  this  shaft 
was  used  for  the  purpose  he  suspected,  he  again 
lighted  his  candle  and  without  an  instant's  hesita- 
tion descended  into  it. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

To  Guadalnpe,  crouching  on  the  edge  of  the 
forest,  sick  with  fear  and  torn  by  cruel  anxiety, 
time  had  no  meaning,  and  minutes  seemed  hours 
while  she  waited  for  Vyner's  return,  unable  to 
imagine  upon  what  errand  he  had  disappeared 
from  her  sight,  but  fearing  still  that  he  might 
meet  Fernando,  and  only  certain  that  she  must 
see  him  leave  the  mine  before  she  could  take  her 
homeward  way. 

How  long  she  waited  in  the  solitude  of  the 
solemn  night  and  the  silence  that  seemed  to  brood 
over  the  great  mountain,  she  never  knew  nor 
could  even  conjecture.  Every  thought  and  feel- 
ing was  merged  in  an  agony  of  suspense  while  the 
slow  moments  passed.  But  suddenly  she  lifted 
her  head  like  a  startled  fawn,  for  her  quick  ear 
caught  the  sound  of  footsteps  coming  hastily  down 
the  mountain-side  from  the  direction  in  which 
Vyner  had  gone — footsteps  under  which  twigs 
and  bushes  broke,  stones  clattered  downward,  and 
in  the  echo  of  which  there  was  an  indescribable 
suggestion  of  fear  and  flight. 

She  arose  to  her  feet,  prepared  for  anything, 
and,  as  she  did  so,  her  heart  seemed  to  stand  still, 
for  it  was  Fernando  whom  she  saw  coming  to- 
(72) 


THE   LOST   LODE.  73 

ward  her,  hurrying  forward  in  a  strange,  blind 
haste  that  seemed  to  take  no  heed  of  obstacles, 
and  with  a  pallor  on  his  face  which  owed  nothing 
to  the  whiteness  of  the  moonbeams.  She  made  a 
step  from  behind  the  trees  which  sheltered  her, 
and  confronted  him  as  he  entered  the  path  by 
which  she  had  ascended. 

He  recoiled  at  sight  of  her  with  a  sharp,  quick 
cry  ;  and  indeed  he  might  have  been  pardoned  for 
thinking  that  a  spirit  stood  before  him,  so  un- 
earthly was  her  aspect  as  the  moonlight  fell  over 
her,  showing  her  pale  face  amid  the  shrouding 
folds  of  her  drapery.  "  Madre  de  Dios ! "  he 
gasped,  and  lifted  his  hand  instinctively  to  make 
the  sign  of  the  cross.  But  the  next  instant  he 
knew  who  stood  before  him — for  Guadalupe 
spoke. 

"  Fernando  !  "  she  said — and  her  voice  had  a 
heart-piercing  tone  of  entreaty  in  it — "  what  has 
happened  ?  What  have  you  done  ?  " 

"  What  have  I  done  ?  "  he  repeated.  A  strong 
shiver  shook  him  from  head  to  foot.  *'  I  have 
killed  him,  Guadalupe  !  God  knows  I  did  not 
mean  to  do  it — but  he  came  upon  us  full  of  rage, 
there  were  hot,  bitter  words,  and  in  my  passion  I 
struck  him  down." 

"  Ah,  my  God,  it  is  what  I  feared  !  "  she  said, 
smiting  her  hands  together  and  then  clasping 
them  before  her  eyes  as  if  to  shut  out  the  sight  of 
which  he  spoke.  "  I  came  to  warn  you,  but  I 


74  THE   LOST   LODE. 

knew  not  where  to  find  you.  Oh,  if  I  had  but 
known!" 

"  To  warn  me  ?  "  He  looked  at  her  with  a  sud- 
den perception  of  the  strangeness  of  her  presence 
at  such  an  hour  on  this  lonely  mountain-side. 
"  But  how  did  you  know — anything  ?  " 

"  I  was  wakeful,  thinking  of  and  watching  for 
you,"  she  answered,  "  when  I  saw  Senor  Vyner 
pass  in  the  direction  of  the  mine,  and,  fearing 
that  you  were  here,  I  came  up  the  mountain  in 
the  hope  of  warning,  of  saving  you  from  violence 
and  crime.  But  God  did  not  permit  me  to  do  this. 
Senor  Vyner  had  already  arrived  when  I  reached 
here.  Even  then,  had  I  known  where  to  find 
you,  I  might  have  warned  you,  for  he  entered  the 
mine  before  ascending  the  height ;  but  I  knew 
nothing,  so  I  could  only  wait  praying,  fearing. 
But  all  this  matters  nothing  now.  Tell  me  if 
there  is  no  hope  !  Are  you  certain  that  you  have 
killed  him?" 

"I  am  not  certain  that  he  is  dead,  but  I  am 
certain  that  I  gave  him  a  blow  which  no  man 
could  receive  and  live,"  Fernando  replied.  "I 
did  not  wait  to  see  how  it  was  with  him.  When 
he  fell  and  lay  a  senseless  heap  " — a  strong  shud- 
der shook  him  again — "  I  left  him.  The  deed  was 
done.  Nothing  can  undo  it  now." 

"But  it  may  be  that  you  did  not  kill  him !" 
she  cried  with  sudden,  passionate  hope.  "  How 
can  you  tell  if  you  did  not  wait  to  see  ?  Come,  let 


THE  LOST  LODfi,  75 

us  go  back  at  once — at  once  !  It  may  be  that  we 
can  save  him  yet." 

"  Are  you  mad  ?  "  asked  Fernando,  looking  at 
her  with  eyes  of  angry  wonder.  "  You  go  down 
into  that  shaft — it  is  impossible !  And  for  me, 
nothing  will  ever  take  me  back.  I  tell  you  that 
no  man  could  receive  the  blow  that  I  dealt  Vyner 
and  live." 

"  But  you  do  not  know  that  he  is  dead,  and  yet 
you  would  leave  him  there,  injured  and  alone  ?  " 
she  said  in  an  anguished  tone.  "  Fernando,  that 
cannot  be  !  You  must  come  with  me,  or  I  shall 
go  without  you." 

"  You  shall  not !  "  he  cried.  "  What  insanity 
is  this  ?  He  is  not  alone.  I  had  with  me  an  old 
man — one  of  the  ancient  miners,  who  knows  the 
locality  of  the  lost  lode.  He  is  still  there,  and 
though  old,  is  strong  arid  determined.  Vyner 
will  never  leave  the  mine  alive.  Be  sure  of 
that." 

"  Merciful  God  !  " — she  shrank  back  as  if  from 
a  blow,  though  no  mere  physical  blow  could  have 
equalled  the  terrible  significance  of  those  words. 
For  a  moment  horror  held  her  motionless.  Then 
the  very  extremity  of  the  necessity  gave  her 
strength  to  speak. 

"  Come  with  me,"  she  said — and  it  seemed  no 
longer  Guadalupe  who  spoke — "  if  you  have  not 
the  soul  of  a  coward,  come  and  see  that  a  murder 


76  THE  LOST  LODE. 

is  not  done !  There  is  not  a  second  to  lose. 
Come !  " 

"  No  !  "  he  answered  violently.  "  Not  all  the 
riches  of  the  mine  could  tempt  me  to  descend  that 
shaft  again.  Besides,  it  is  too  late.  The  man  is 
either  dead  or — •  You  do  not  understand !  It 
would  be  madness  now  to  let  him  come  forth  with 
such  a  tale  !  " 

"  And  so  you  left  him,  either  to  die  or  be 
treacherously  killed  ! "  she  cried  in  a  voice  filled 
with  a  passion  of  feeling.  "  O  Fernando !  it  is 
you  who  are  mad,  who  know  not  what  you  are  do- 
ing. You  struck  him  down  in  anger,  but  you  did 
not  mean  to  kill  him — you  said  so.  Come,  then, 
and  let  us  save  him,  if  he  can  be  saved.  Prove  to 
me  and  to  yourself  that  you  are  no  murderer.  If 
you  have  ever  been,  for  one  hour,  the  man  I  be- 
lieved you,  come  with  me  now.  For  the  love  of 
God,  come  !  " 

In  the  extremity  of  her  pleading  she  forgot  the 
horror  that  a  moment  before  possessed  her,  and 
drew  near  to  him,  laying  her  hand  upon  his  arm 
with  a  gesture  of  entreaty.  Had  his  guardian 
angel  taken  mortal  form  beside  him  and  spoken 
with  mortal  tongue,  such  look  and  voice  could 
hardly  have  been  fraught  with  more  intense  sup- 
plication, more  ardent  appeal,  than  that  of  Gua- 
dalupe's  face  as  she  lifted  it  toward  him,  and  vi- 
brated in  the  tones  of  her  voice.  But  neither  face 
nor  voice  had  power  to  move  the  dark  spirit  of  the 


THE  LOST  LODE.  77 

man  to  whom  she  spoke.  He  flung  off  her  hand 
with  a  motion  of  his  arm,  and  turned  upon  her 
with  words  that  like  a  deadly  fire  scorched  the 
last  vestige  of  love  for  him  in  her  heart. 

"It  must  be,"  he  said  with  a  furious  glance, 
"  that  the  man  whose  life  you  are  so  anxious  to 
preserve — whose  safety  is  so  much  more  precious 
in  your  eyes  than  mine — is  indeed  your  lover,  as 
people  have  said.  Do  not  think  that  I  have  not 
heard  of  his  visits  to  you  while  I — /was  toiling 
and  sinning  for  your  sake !  And  if  it  be  your 
lover,  why  should  you  not  have  betrayed  me  to 
him — how  else  did  he  come  here?  You  alone 
knew  of  my  hopes  and  my  labors.  Traitress  that 
you  are,  go  to  him  if  you  will,  but  you  will  be  too 
late  to  save  him,  and  you  may  be  grateful  that  I 
do  not  kill  you  with  him !  " 

"  To  kill  my  body  would  be  a  small  thing  com- 
pared to  killing  every  feeling  that  I  have  ever  had 
for  you,"  she  answered  in  a  tone  which  expressed 
a  compassion  so  great  that  even  scorn  was  lost  in 
it.  "  Hereafter  what  you  may  think  of  me  is  less 
than  nothing  to  me  ;  but  once  more,  in  the  name 
of  God,  I  call  upon  you  to  come  with  me  and  save 
your  soul  from  fearful  crime.  If  you  will  not 
come,  take  with  you  the  knowledge  that  in  the 
sight  of  God  you  are  a  murderer  !  " 

She  stood  before  him  with  a  dignity  that  was 
majestic,  her  bearing  full  of  an  almost  stern  com- 
mand, her  face  white  and  set  as  if  carved  in  stone, 


78  THE  LOST   LODE. 

and  her  eyes  burning  with  a  fire  before  which  he 
shrank.  But  to  do  that  which  she  commanded 
was  impossible  to  him.  He  hesitated  a  moment, 
then  made  a  hopeless  gesture  and,  throwing  out 
his  hands  wildly,  rushed  down  the  mountain. 

For  an  instant  Guadalupe  remained  motionless, 
listening  to  the  echo  of  the  receding  steps  which 
alone  broke  the  solemn  silence  of  the  night.  And, 
as  she  listened,  the  thought  that  she  was  alone — 
alone  to  take  up  the  burden  of  horror  from  which 
Fernando  had  fled,  to  descend  by  perilous  ways 
into  the  dark  recesses  of  the  mine,  to  meet  the 
awful  presence  of  the  probably  murdered  man 
and  the  more  awful  presence  of  the  living  one  who 
kept  guard  over  him,  fell  upon  her  with  a  crush- 
ing and  terrible  weight.  She  sank  shuddering 
upon  her  knees  and  lifted  her  agonized  face  to- 
ward heaven.  "  Help  me,  my  God  ! — help  me  not 
to  fail !  "  was  her  inarticulate  cry.  u  Give  me  a 
courage  great  enough  for  what  I  must  do." 

It  was  only  a  minute  that  she  spent  in  supplica- 
tion, but  to  those  of  pure  heart  and  strong  faith 
the  Heaven  upon  which  they  call  is  very  near,  and 
she  felt  a  courage  great  enough  for  all  that  lay  be- 
fore her  when  she  rose  and  took  her  way  swiftly 
toward  the  mine.  She  could  not  afterward  have 
told  what  instinct  led  her  to  provide  herself  with 
the  means  of  light — a  candle  and  matches  taken 
from  the  receptacle  for  such  objects  near  the 
mouth  of  the  tunnel — or  which  brought  her  steps 


THE  LOST  LODE.  79 

so  unerringly  to  the  shaft  where  Vyner  had  de- 
scended. When  she  saw  its  dark  mouth  and  the 
rudely  notched  pole  which  constituted  the  only 
way  of  descent,  her  heart  for  an  instant  failed — 
but  only  for  an  instant.  The  heroic  spirit  domi- 
nated all  instincts  of  fear,  and  with  one  swift, 
appealing  glance  toward  the  bending  sky,  she 
stepped  downward  and  began  the  difficult  and 
perilous  descent. 

Meanwhile,  in  a  gallery  that  opened  horizontally 
from  the  shaft,  at  a  depth  of  about  a  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  below  the  surface,  lay  the  unconscious 
form  of  the  man  whom  Fernando  Sandoval  had 
struck  down  when  surprised  in  his  treachery. 
Since  the  terrible  blow,  given  with  the  miner's 
pick,  had  descended  on  his  head,  he  had  not 
stirred  ;  but  that  he  was  not  dead  the  old  Indian, 
who  bent  over  him,  assured  himself  now  and  then 
by  putting  his  ear  to  the  slow  and  heavily -beating 
heart.  It  was  a  weird  scene  which  the  faint  light 
of  a  single  candle  revealed  in  the  dark  and  gloomy 
spot.  The  roughly  excavated  rock,  glistening 
with  moisture  as  the  rays  of  light  struck  upon  it, 
arched  overhead  and  formed  the  walls  that  led 
away  into  blackness  beyond.  On  the  damp  and 
rnuddy  floor  of  the  gallery,  Vyner  lay  as  he  had 
fallen,  with  white,  senseless  face  upturned.  The 
old  man  crouched  beside  him,  his  thin,  brown 
countenance  absolutely  impassive,  but  his  dark, 
piercing  eyes  fixed  intently  on  the  motionless 


80  THE  LOST  LODE. 

form,  as  if  watching  for  the  least  sign  of  life  ; 
while  he  kept  one  thin,  sinewy  hand  buried  in  the 
loose,  open  folds  of  his  shirt.  The  attitude  was 
significant  enough — for  there  could  be  no  doubt 
that  the  object  upon  which  that  hand  rested  was 
the  handle  of  a  knife — but  even  more  significant 
was  the  concentration  of  purpose  on  the  keen 
face,  the  unrelaxing  watchfulness  of  the  shining 
glance.  Let  Vyner  stir  hand  or  foot,  let  his  eyes 
but  for  one  second  unclose,  and  the  knife  would 
be  buried  in  his  heart.  Nothing  could  be  more 
certain  than  that.  A  tiger  watching  his  prey 
might  be  expected  to  relent  sooner  than  the  man 
who  watched  him  with  that  terrible,  impassive 
face. 

But  while  he  watched,  his  quick  ear  caught  a 
sound,  faint  indeed  but  still  a  sound,  which  con- 
veyed unmistakably  the  intimation  of  another 
presence  beside  his  own  in  the  mine.  The  lean, 
old  head  on  the  thin,  brown  neck  turned  sharply 
and  listened  intently.  Had  Fernando  recovered 
his  courage  and  was  he  returning,  or — could  it  be 
possible  that  some  one  else  was  slowly  and  with 
difficulty  descending  the  shaft?  Such  a  thing 
was  wildly  improbable,  but  it  was  not  impossible, 
and  rising  from  his  crouching  posture  with  a 
resolute  expression,  the  old  man  seized  the  candle, 
which  had  been  fastened  on  a  projecting  rock  by 
a  lump  of  mud,  and  with  the  long,  nervous  fingers 
of  the  hand  in  his  bosom  clutching  yet  more 


THE  LOST  LODE.  81 

firmly  the  handle  of  the  knife  which  lay  there,  he 
went  forward  to  investigate. 

Before  he  reached  the  end  of  the  gallery,  how- 
ever, a  presence — or  was  it  an  apparition? — 
appeared  there,  framed  in  the  rough  stone  arch, 
which  the  light  that  it  carried  illumined,  like  a 
picture  of  some  fair,  tender  saint,  or  of  the  Queen 
of  Saints,  Mary  most  merciful,  suddenly  brought 
to  life.  Like  a  star  against  the  gloom  and  dark- 
ness, the  beautiful  white  face  appeared,  and  the 
dilated  eyes  shone  with  a  lustre  not  of  earth  as 
they  met  his  terrified  gaze.  He  had  not  a 
moment's  doubt  of  the  supernatural  character  of 
the  figure — for  how  could  mortal  woman  appear 
in  such  a  place,  and  when  did  mortal  woman  ever 
wear  such  an  aspect?  The  candle  dropped  from 
his  trembling  hand  as  he  fell  on  his  knees,  making 
the  sign  of  the  cross  and  crying,  as  Fernando  had 
cried  before  him,  the  loved,  familiar,  yet  now 
terrible  name,  "  Madre  de  Dios  !  " 

"  Do  you  take  me  for  the  Mother  of  God 
Rosalio  Gallardo?"  asked  Guadalupe,  pausing 
before  him,  "that  you  kneel  to  me  like  this? 
And  yet,  before  you  rise,  thank  her  that  I  have 
been  sent  to  save  you  from  terrible  crime.  For 
he  lives  yet — the  man  whom  you  have  stayed 
here  to  guard — is  it  not  so?  God  has  not  per- 
mitted him  to  die,  or  you  to  commit  the  sin  which 
has  been  in  your  heart  ?  " 

The  man  rose  slowly  to  his  feet.  He  was  still 
(6) 


82  THE  LOST  LODE. 

trembling  in  every  limb.  The  occurrence  seemed 
to  him  hardly  less  wonderful,  hardly  less  super- 
natural, now  that  he  knew  it  was  only  a  woman 
of  the  earth,  not  an  inhabitant  of  the  shining 
heavens,  who  spoke  to  him.  Her  appearance 
savored  of  the  miraculous  hardly  less  than  if  she 
had  been  a  spirit,  and  the  majesty  of  her  bearing, 
the  dignity  of  her  address,  impressed  him  as  the 
higher  nature  must  always  impress  the  lower, 
unless  the  latter  has  lost  all  habit  of  reverence,  all 
belief  in  higher  things  ;  and  these  no  Mexican 
has  wholly  lost. 

"  Yes,  senora,"  Rosalio  answered,  scarcely 
knowing  what  he  said,  "  he  is  living  yet.  I — was 
watching  him.  Maria  Santissima  knows — " 

"Show  me  where  he  is,"  said  Guadalupe,  pass- 
ing him  by. 

She  had  not  now  the  faintest  thought  of  fear, 
alone  though  she  was  in  the  depths  of  the  earth 
with  a  half-murdered  man,  and  one  who  was  a 
murderer  in  intent,  if  not  in  act.  Had  she  ex- 
hibited a  single  sign  of  timidity  or  the  least 
consciousness  of  danger,  there  is  no  telling  what 
the  result  might  have  been  ;  but  her  manner 
could  not  have  been  more  assured  in  its  quiet 
command  had  she  stood  on  the  threshold  of  her 
own  house,  with  hosts  of  servants  within  her  call. 
Without  casting  a  glance  behind  at  the  man  she 
had  passed,  she  went  quickly  forward  knelt  down 
by  Vyner's  prostrate  form,  and  laid  her  hand  upon 


THE  LOST   LODE.  8b 

his  heart.  Then  she  looked  up  at  Rosalio,  who 
had  drawn  near  and  stood  beside  her.  "  Bring 
me  some  water,"  she  said,  with  the  same  air  and 
tone  of  authority. 

He  obeyed  silently,  bringing  some  water  from  a 
place  not  far  distant  and  watching  the  gloomy  in- 
terest while  she  bathed  the  face  of  the  uncon- 
scious man,  loosened  his  collar,  and  pressed  a  few 
drops  of  the  moisture  between  his  pale  lips. 
Presently,  under  this  reviving  influence,  his  res- 
piration grew  more  apparent,  and  it  was  evident 
that  life  was  asserting  itself  against  the  terrible 
blow  which,  but  for  the  heavy  hat  he  had  worn, 
would  have  left  no  life  to  survive.  Then  again 
Guadalupe  looked  up  at  the  statue-like  figure  be- 
side her. 

"  Have  you  any  stimulant?  "  she  asked  quickly 
— "  aguardiente,  tequila,  anything  ?  " 

There  was  a  moment's  barely  perceptible 
hesitation  before  the  man  turned  again  and, 
going  to  the  place  from  whence  he  had  brought 
the  water,  brought  now  a  bottle  containing  a  col- 
orless liquid  which  was  no  other  than  the  fiery 
vino  de  mescal,  locally  known  as  tequila.  But 
before  giving  the  bottle  into  her  outstretched  hand 
he  looked  at  her  with  his  keen,  deep-set  eyes,  and 
spoke  for  the  first  time  since  he  had  cut  short  his 
first  speech. 

"  Would  it  not  be  well,"  he  said,  "for  the  sen- 
ora  to  stop  and  think  a  moment  before  she  brings 


84  THE  LOST  LODE. 

this  man  back  to  life.  I  know  now  who  the  sefi- 
ora  is.  If  he  lives,  what  will  become  of  her 
cousin,  Fernando  Sandoval  ?  " 

She  glanced  up  at  him  with  a  gaze  filled  with  the 
light  of  a  steadfast  purpose.  "  If  by  God's  help 
I  can  save  this  man's  life,"  she  said,  "  I  shall  save 
my  cousin  from  crime  and  undying  remorse.  And 
I  shall  save  you,  too,  little  as  you  seem  to  think 
of  it.  What  manner  of  life  have  you  lived  that 
in  your  last  days — for  you  are  an  old  man — you 
can  wish  to  lose  your  soul  by  an  act  of  deliberate 
murder  ?  Give  me  that  bottle  and  lift  his  head." 

He  gave  the  bottle  without  another  word,  and, 
kneeling  on  Vyner's  other  side,  obediently  raised 
his  head  while  she  poured  a  few  drops  of  the 
potent  stimulant  between  his  lips.  Almost  im- 
mediately the  result  was  apparent  in  the  strength- 
ening of  his  before  hardly  perceptible  pulse. 
Again  and  yet  again  she  poured  the  liquid  cau- 
tiously down  his  throat,  until  suddenly — oh,  won- 
der hardly  hoped  for ! — he  gave  a  half-strangled 
gasp  and,  opening  his  eyes,  looked  at  her. 

Two  hours  later  a  faint,  exhausted  man  lay 
stretched  on  the  ground  at  the  mouth  of  the  shaft. 
As  long  as  he  lives  the  memory  of  that  ascent 
will  be  to  him  a  nightmare  of  horror.  But  for 
the  rope  fastened  around  his  waist  and  held  by 
the  old  man  who  preceded  him  up  the  primitive 
ladder,  he  could  never  have  reached  the  top. 
More  than  once  he  had  swayed,  tottered,  almost 


*HK  LOST  LODiS.  85 

fallen,  while  a  faintness  as  of  death  nearly  over- 
powered him.  But  Rosalie's  sustaining  hand 
above  and  Guadalupe's  encouraging  voice  below, 
sustained  him — enabled  him  to  fight  off  the  black 
unconsciousness ;  and  at  last,  after  what  seemed 
an  eternity  of  painful  effort,  he  felt  the  fresh  air 
of  the  upper  world,  saw  the  white  glory  of  the 
moonlight,  and  fell  down  a  well-nigh  senseless 
heap  once  more  under  the  vast  bending  heaven. 

But  revival  was  not  so  difficult  now  when  all 
the  blessed  influence  of  Nature  aided  in  the  work. 
Like  a  man  in  a  dream  he  was  conscious  again  of 
Guadalupe's  hand  bathing  his  brow,  of  the  fiery 
liquid  she  offered  to  his  lips,  and  of  the  urgency 
of  her  voice. 

"  Bring  his  horse,"  she  said  to  Rosalio.  "  Have 
it  ready  here.  There  must  be  no  delay,  or  day- 
light will  surprise  you  on  the  road.  Ah,  senor, 
rouse  yourself ! — for  the  love  of  God  make  another 
effort  !  " 

Who  could  withstand  that  piteous  appeal! 
Vyner  opened  his  eyes  and  murmured,  "  What  do 
you  wish  me  to  do  ?  " 

"To  mount  you?  horse  as  soon  as  you  are 
able,"  she  answered.  "  You  can  ride  slowly — 
this  man  will  lead  the  animal  and  support  you  in 
the  saddle.  You  must  get  home  before  daylight 
comes  and  people  are  abroad." 

"  Why  ?  "  he  asked  brokenly.  **  I  will  stay  here 
until  I  can — send  for  a  carriage." 


86  THE  LOST  LODE. 

She  seized  him  by  the  shoulder  in  her  despera- 
tion arid  shook  him  almost  fiercely.  "  Sefior," 
she  said,  "  listen  to  me  !  I  have  saved  your  life  ; 
but  for  me  you  would  be  lying  dead  down  there 
in  the  mine !  I  tell  you  this  that  you  may  do 
something  for  me,  that  you  may  rouse  yourself  for 
the  effort  I  ask  of  you.  It  is  hard — I  know  it  is 
hard — but  oh,  for  God's  sake,  for  my  sake,  try !  " 

He  rose  and  staggered  to  his  feet.  Dull  and 
stupid  as  he  yet  felt,  he  understood  her  words  and 
knew  that  they  were  true.  But  for  her  he  would 
indeed  be  lying  dead,  down  in  the  dark  depths  of 
the  mine,  never  again  to  feel  the  sweet  air  of 
heaven  or  look  upon  the  beauty  of  the  earth. 
What,  then,  could  she  ask  of  him  that  he  would 
not,  must  not  do  ?  A  faint  stirring  of  life  came 
to  him — somewhat  blindly  he  put  out  his  hand  to 
her. 

"  Do  what  you  will  with  me,"  he  said.  "  I  am 
ready." 

She  made  a  quick  motion  to  the  old  Indian,  and 
between  them  they  helped  him  to  his  saddle. 
Then  Rosalio  flung  a  steadying  arm  around  him, 
and  placed  the  other  hand  upon  the  bridle  of  the 
horse.  "  Take  him  to  the  door  of  his  house  and 
leave  him  there  in  charge  of  his  servants,"  said 
Guadalupe,  in  a  low,  firm  tone.  "  Remember,  if 
he  is  not  carried  safely,  I  will  tell  all."  Then  she 
looked  up  in  the  face  of  the  man  who — swaying 
slightly  from  weakness — looked  down  upon  her. 


THE  LOST  LODE;.  87 

To  his  dying  day  he  will  never  forget  that  coun- 
tenance, white  as  carven  marble,  with  its  dark, 
luminous,  mournful  eyes,  on  which  the  moonlight 
fell. 

"Senor,"  she  said,  "if  I  remind  you  again  of 
what  I  have  done  for  you,  it  is  only  that  I  ask  a 
pledge  of  you.  Promise  me  that  you  will  be  si- 
lent about  the  events  of  this  night.  Make  what 
use  you  will  of  all  that  you  have  learned — but  tell 
nothing  of  how  you  learned  it,  or  of  how  you 
have  suffered.  This  is  much  to  ask,  but  I  do  ask 
it  of  you — in  exchange  for  your  life." 

"  I  will  be  as  silent  as  the  grave  from  which  you 
have  saved  me,"  he  answered  solemnly.  "  I  prom- 
ise you  that  on  my  honor." 

He  almost  thought  that  she  smiled,  so  sweet  a 
relaxation  came  to  the  tense  lines  about  her  lips. 
She  looked  at  him  gratefully.  One  would  have 
thought  that  it  was  her  own  life  which  had  been 
saved. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  softly.  "  God  keep  you 
and  restore  you  soon  to  health." 

She  made  a  motion  to  the  silent  figure  at  the 
horse's  side.  Quickly  the  man  stepped  out  in  the 
long  stride  of  his  race,  keeping  step  easily  with 
the  animal,  and  they  passed  away  down  the  moun- 
tain, leaving  her  alone  in  the  still  glory  of  the 
solemn  night. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  little  Mexican  town  rang  next  morning 
with  the  news  that  the  English  sefior  of  the  Es- 
piritu  Santo  Mine  had  been  nearly  murdered,  and 
left  mysteriously  in  an  insensible  condition  at  his 
own  door.  The  mozo  who  slept  in  the  vestibule 
had  been  roused  by  a  loud  knocking,  but  by  the  time 
he  had  sleepily  risen  from  his  mat,  shaken  him- 
self, and  unbarred  the  heavy  portals,  he  found  no 
one  except  his  master,  leaning  forward  in  a  state 
of  semi-unconsciousness  on  the  neck  of  his  horse, 
which  stood  motionless,  as  if  possessing  a  knowl- 
edge that  all  was  not  right  with  the  rider.  Moon- 
light still  lay  white  over  the  earth,  but  the  first 
faint  flush  of  dawn  was  in  the  eastern  sky,  as  the 
astonished  servant  looked  up  and  down  the  long, 
silent  street  and  found  no  sign  of  any  living  fig- 
ure. Whoever  had  given  the  summons  which 
roused  him  had,  when  assured  of  his  approach,  fled 
swiftly  and  vanished  completely.  Wondering  and 
foreboding,  the  man  approached  his  master  and 
lifted  him  from  the  saddle.  Vyner  made  one  last 
effort  to  do  what  was  necessary ;  but  nature  had 
been  taxed  to  its  utmost.  He  reeled  as  if  drunken, 
caught  the  mozo's  arm,  and  would  have  fallen 
heavily  had  not  that  arm  interposed  and  saved 
(88) 


THE   LOST   LODE. 

him.  The  man  laid  him  down  within  the  thresh- 
old and  roused  the  other  servants.  Together  they 
bore  him  to  his  bed  and  summoned  a  doctor,  who 
found  him  unconscious  from  an  injury  on  the 
head  which  he  at  once  pronounced  to  have  been 
caused  by  a  blow  that  came  narrowly  near  frac- 
turing the  skull,  and  the  consequence  of  which 
might  prove  very  serious. 

That  they  were  less  serious  than  he  anticipated 
reflected  no  discredit  upon  his  professional  fore- 
sight. The  patient  had  a  strong  constitution  and 
probably  a  very  hard  head  also;  for  the  concus- 
sion of  the  brain  from  which  he  suffered  did  not 
lead  to  brain  fever,  as  the  doctor  feared  it  would. 
After  a  few  days  the  stupor  passed,  and  the  mind 
began  to  act  again — slowly  going  back  over  the 
events  of  the  night  which  would  henceforth  stand 
out  from  all  other  nights  in  his  memory. 

For  as  he  lay,  weak  in  body  and  by  no  means 
strong  as  regarded  mental  processes,  one  face 
dominated  all  that  he  remembered  of  this  night — 
a  pale,  beautiful  face,  at  which  he  had  gazed  out 
of  a  black  mist  of  unconsciousness  like  unto  death, 
in  the  dark  depths  of  the  mine,  and  again  in  the 
white  lustre  of  the  moonbeams  upon  the  surface 
of  the  earth.  He  might  have  thought  his  memory 
of  it  a  delusion  but  for  the  fact  that  his  recollec- 
tion, dim  enough  on  other  points,  was  most  clear 
and  insistent  with  regard  to  all  that  Guadalupe 
had  said  and  done.  But  how  did  she  come  to  be 


90  THE  LOST   LODE. 

there  ?  What  possible  influence  had  brought  the 
carefully  guarded  maiden  to  that  lonely  mountain 
at  such  an  hour?  Judging  the  strength  of  the  in- 
fluence by  the  peril  incurred,  he  said  to  himself 
that  it  must  have  been  powerful  beyond  all  meas- 
ure of  expression.  Was  it  for  the  sake  of  the 
cousin  whom  he  had  found  so  treacherously  en- 
gaged in  betraying  himself?  But  how  could  her 
presence  advantage  Fernando,  absorbed  as  he  was 
in  feverish  work?  Could  it  possibly,  then,  have 
been  for  him,  Vyner,  that  she  had  set  at  naught 
all  fear,  risked  all  dangers?  Had  she  by  some 
strange  chance  learned  of  his  peril  and  come  to 
save  him?  It  must  be  so— since  what  but  the 
compelling  force  of  love,  that  counts  no  obsta- 
cles and  considers  no  dangers  where  the  safety  of 
the  loved  one  is  concerned,  could  have  nerved  a 
delicate  girl  to  the  descent  into  the  mine  where 
she  had  found  him. 

And  as  he  laid  this  flattering  belief  to  his  heart 
he  felt  that  heart  beating  as  it  had  never  throbbed 
before.  He  knew  now  how  much  Guadalupe's 
apparent  indifference  had  held  in  check  his  passion 
for  her,  since  in  the  thought  of  what  she  had  done 
and  dared  for  him  it  burst  all  bounds  and  seemed 
to  pour  like  fire  through  his  veins.  Had  he 
fancied  that  he  had  outlived  such  possibilities  of 
feeling?  Well,  it  was  worth  while  to  have  been 
spared  from  death  to  be  undeceived,  to  know  once 
more  the  ardor  of  primitive  passion,  the  wild, 


THE   LOST   LODE.  91 

thrilling,  unreasoning  love  before  which  all  other 
feelings  vanish  as  dry  grass  before  flame.  He 
absolutely  forgot  the  existence  of  the  woman  he 
had  loved  in  England,  he  gave  not  a  thought  to 
the  lost  lode  or  to  Fernando's  treachery.  Every- 
thing was  merged  in  one  overmastering  desire  to 
see  Guadalupe  again,  and  to  make  her  his  own 
forever. 

Meanwhile  he  had  seen  no  one  but  the  doctor, 
for  all  other  visitors  were  by  that  authority  sternly 
forbidden ;  but  as  soon  as  he  was  sufficiently 
recovered  to  permit  the  least  conversation  with 
safety  to  his  health,  a  visitor  who  would  not  be 
denied  came — the  jefe-policito  of  the  town,  whose 
call  was  both  of  a  friendly  and  official  character. 
He  wished  to  know  how  Senor  Vyner  was,  and 
also  to  inquire  into  the  particulars  of  what  had 
befallen  him — "  since  it  is  necessary,"  he  had  said 
politely,  "  that  your  assailant  should  be  punished." 

"  But  suppose,  senor,  that  I  had  no  assailant," 
replied  Vyner  quietly.  "  I  was  unfortunate  enough 
to  meet  with  an  accident — but  the  nature  of  it-only 
concerns  myself." 

The  official  looked  at  him  keenly  and  read  a 
mystery.  "  Pardon  me,  senor,"  he  said,  "  but  some 
accidents  concern  very  much  those  whose  duty  it 
is  to  guard  order  and  punish  crime.  I  shall  be 
very  much  obliged,  therefore,  if  you  will  give  me 
an  account  of  what  befell  you  on  the  night  when 
you  were  absent  from  your  house,  and  when 


92  THE  LOST  lODSi. 

you  returned — or  were  brought  back — in  so  sad  a 
condition." 

"  I  am  sorry  that  it  is  altogether  out  of  my 
power  to  oblige  you,"  replied  Vyner  with  equal 
courtesy  of  manner  and  decision  of  tone.  "  I  re- 
peat that  the  events  of  that  night  concern  no  one 
but  myself;  and  I  therefore  decline  absolutely  to 
give  any  account  of  them." 

The  eyes  of  the  two  men  met  and  rested  each 
upon  the  other  for  a  space  of  time  measured  by  no 
more  than  seconds,  but  it  was  enough  to  convince 
the  Mexican  that  nothing  was  to  be  gained  by 
pressing  his  inquiries. 

"  I  understand,  senor,"  he  said,  drooping  his  eyes. 
"  It  was  an  affair  of  gallantry  no  doubt,  and  the 
consequences — well,  they  are  not  uncommon  with 
our  people.  It  is  fortunate  that  you  escaped  a 
knife-thrust,  which  might  not  have  been  so  easily 
healed.  And  there  is  positively  no  one,  then,  who 
you  wish  to  see  punished  ?  " 

"  No  one,"  replied  Vyner.  "  I  appreciate  your 
zeal,  senor,"  and  am  grateful  for  your  solicitude  in 
my  behalf ;  but  I  can  tell  you  nothing." 

"  I  am  sorry  that  you  are  so  positive,"  said  the 
other  regretfully.  "  It  is  mortifying  that  a  stranger 
should  suffer  such  injuries  in  our  midst,  and  that  no 
steps  should  be  taken  to  punish  those  who  inflicted 
them  ;  but  if  we  have  no  information  to  proceed 
upon — 

"  It  is  impossible  for  you  to  do  anything,"  said 


THE  LOST  LODE.  93 

Vyner  in  prompt  conclusion.  "Believe  me,  I  rec- 
ognize that  fully;  and  I  beg  you  to  accept  my 
thanks  again  for  your  admirable  intentions." 

And  so  the  interview  ended.  Public  curiosity 
and  official  zeal  were  alike  destined  to  remain  un- 
gratified  with  regard  to  a  matter  which  stirred 
both  very  deeply  ;  for  there  was  not  the  least  clue 
by  means  of  which  to  arrive  at  a  knowledge  of 
events  the  chief  actor  in  which  remained  so  de- 
terminedly silent.  An  affair  of  gallantry  was 
an  easy  explanation  to  suggest ;  but  it  was  trying, 
to  say  the  least,  that  no  one  could  throw  the  least 
light  upon  the  person  or  persons  concerned  therein. 

At  the  mine  meanwhile,  everything  had  gone  on 
as  usual ;  for  reluctant  as  Fernando  had  been  to 
return  to  his  post  the  morning  after  Vyner's  dis- 
covery of  his  treachery,  a  few  words  from  Guada- 
lupe  had  decided  him  to  do  so.  She  found  him 
awaiting  her  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  when  she 
descended,  for  until  he  saw  her  and  learned 
whether  or  not  Vyner  was  absolutely  dead,  he 
could  not  decide  where  to  go  or  what  to  do.  On 
seeing  him  she  paused  and  spoke  very  quietly. 

"  Sefior  Vyner  lives,"  she  said,  "  Thank  God 
that  I  was  in  time  to  save  him.  He  revived  suffi- 
ciently to  ascend  the  shaft,  and  I  have  sent  him 
home  in  charge  of  the  old  man — who  knows  that 
if  he  is  not  taken  there  safely,  I  will  tell  every- 
thing." 

"  He    revived — you     have   sent   him   home !  " 


94  THE  LOST   LODE. 

stammered  Fernando.  He  could  only  gaze  at  her 
as  if  fascinated.  Was  it  indeed  Guadalupe  who 
seemed  so  calm,  so  fearless,  so  strangely  altered 
from  the  girl  he  had  known  and  loved  all  his  life  ? 
He  could  hardly  have  felt  a  greater  change  in  her 
had  she  been  indeed  the  spirit  for  which  he  had 
first  taken  her. 

"Yes,  he  has  gone  home,"  she  repeated. 
"  Whether  to  live  or  die  God  only  knows.  But 
in  either  case  you  are  safe — as  far  as  the  knowl- 
edge of  men  is  concerned.  He  has  promised  me 
that  he  will  be  silent  regarding  all  that  has  hap- 
pened this  night.  I  think  that  he  will  keep  his 
promise.  To-morrow  you  must  go  to  the  mine  as 
usual  and  remain  there  until  it  is  possible  for  you 
to  leave  in  an  apparently  natural  manner." 

"  Go  to  the  mine  !  "  he  repeated  aghast.  "  I 
cannot  do  it — it  is  impossible  !  " 

"  Then  you  will  proclaim  everything,  and  bring 
shame  upon  yourself  and  all  connected  with  you," 
she  answered.  "  Have  you  no  thought  of  your 
father's  honorable  name  ?  Do  you  wish  to  break 
his  heart?  This  is  something  which  does  not 
concern  yourself  alone.  If  you  refuse,  terrible 
as  the  necessity  may  be,  I  must  speak  to  my  un- 
cle." 

"  Are  you  not  afraid  to  threaten  me  ?  "  he  de- 
manded, turning  upon  her.  "  Does  your  infatua- 
tion for  your  new  lover  carry  you  so  far  that  you 
dare  all  things  ?  Speak  to  my  father  by  all  means ! 


THE  LOST   LODE.  95 

It  will  be  interesting  to  know  what  he  will  think 
of  this  midnight  excursion  of  yours." 

"  I  am  not  afraid  that  my  uncle  will  doubt  or 
disbelieve  me  when  I  tell  him  what  led  me  out  of 
his  house  alone,  in  the  night, '  she  answered.  "  But 
I  hope  that  he  may  be  spaied  the  knowledge  of 
how  I  went  to  save  his  son  from  being  detected  in 
treachery,  and  found  him  flying  with  blood  upon 
his  hand  and  soul.  No  more,  Fernando — let  us 
talk  no  more  !  The  dead  have  no  need  of  words, 
and  you  and  I  are  dead  to  each  other  henceforth. 
Only  remember  that  you  must  go  to  the  mine  to- 
morrow— and  that  if  you  do  not  I  shall  tell  my 
uncle  all." 

She  drew  the  shrouding  folds  of  her  drapery 
closer  about  her  face  and  made  a  movement  to 
pass  on,  but  Fernando  put  out  his  hand  and  stop- 
ped her. 

"  One  moment !  "  he  said  hoarsely.  "  Do  you 
believe  that  Vyner  will  keep  his  promise  and  be 
silent  ?  " 

"  I  believe  it,"  she  answered. 

"  And  if  not—?  " 

"  If  not,  could  anything  be  worse  than  the  con- 
fession which  your  own  flight  would  make  ?  Ah, 
for  your  father's  sake,  be  a  man,  Fernando ! 
Spare  him  the  knowledge  of  that  which  his  best- 
loved  son,  the  pride  of  his  heart,  has  become  !  " 

"  And  you — and  you,  Guadalupe  !  "  He  sank 
suddenly  on  his  knees  on  the  path  before  her,  and 


96  THE  LOST  LODE. 

caught  her  dress  with  eager  hands.  "  Have  you 
no  pity  for  the  man  whose  love  for  you  led  him 
into  dishonor  and  crime  ?  God  forgives  the  peni- 
tent and  do  you  refuse  to  do  so  ?  I  know  that  I 
have  outraged  and  insulted  you  to-night — but  I 
never  believed,  never  meant  it !  Madness  spoke, 
not  I.  You  have  saved  me  from  a  murderer's  re- 
morse and  perhaps  a  murderer's  doom — save  me 
now  from  misery  and  despair !  Bid  me  go  to  that 
accursed  mine  for  your  sake,  and  I  will  do  it ! 
What  do  I  say  ?  I  would  go — I  have  gone — 'to 
the  very  gates  of  hell  for  your  sake  !  " 

"  And  that  being  so,  Fernando,  you  shall  never 
go  there  nor  elsewhere  for  me,"  she  answered  sol- 
emnly. "  If  I  have  been  the  unhappy  cause  that 
tempted  you  into  dark  paths,  I  will  be  so  no 
longer.  We  will  think  no  more  of  love,  but  of 
penitence.  You,  for  yourself,  and  I  for  you,  will 
beg  God  to  pardon  the  sin  which  almost  culmin- 
ated to-night  in  the  worst  of  crimes.  Go,  pray  for 
that  pardon,  and  resolve  to  bear  the  bitter  expia- 
tion which  follows  all  wrong-doing  with  the  cour- 
age of  one  who  has  not  forgotten  that  he  was  once 
a  brave  and  an  honorable  man.  Now  I  must  go. 
If  my  absence  is  discovered,  it  will  be  ill  for  both 
of  us." 

"  And  not  one  word — not  one  word  of  pardon, 
Guadalupe  ?  " 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  glance  in  which  there 
was  the  pitying  pardon  of  an  angel — but  where 


THE  LOST  LODE.  97 

he  would  have  sought  vainly  for  the  love  of  a 
woman.  The  word  he  craved  she  did  not  speak  ; 
but  lifting  her  hand  she  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross  over  his  upturned  face — a  beautiful  mode  of 
household  blessing  in  Mexico — and  then  turned 
quickly  and  left  him. 
7 


CHAPTER  X. 

IT  was  a  few  days  after  the  visit  of  the  jefe- 
politico,  and  when  Vyner  was  beginning  to  con- 
sider whether  he  was  not  able  to  ride  out  to  the 
hacienda,  since  he  longed  above  all  things  for  a 
sight  of  Guadalupe,  that  he  received  a  call  from 
another  and  most  unexpected  visitor.  This  was 
the  cura,  or  parish  priest,  of  the  town — a  tall, 
grave,  slender  man,  whom  Vyner  had  often  ad- 
mired as  a  picturesque  figure  when  he  saw  him 
passing  along  the  streets  draped  in  the  graceful 
folds  of  his  cloak,  and  whose  dark,  delicate  face 
and  tonsured  head  recalled  the  pictures  of  ascetic 
saints  with  which  all  the  world  is  familiar  in 
Spanish  and  Italian  galleries.  But  beyond  ex- 
changing a  courteous  salutation  occasionally  when 
accidentally  meeting,  he  had  no  acquaintance  with 
this  interesting  person;  and  he  was,  therefore, 
not  a  little  surprised  when  his  servant  announced 
"  El  Senor  Cura,"  and  into  the  room  where  he  re- 
clined in  semi-invalid  ease  the  priest  walked. 

It  appeared  at  first  as  if  his  visit  was  only  of  a 
friendly  nature,  to  express  concern  at  the  serious 
injury  which  had  befallen  one  who  was  a  stranger 
and  a  foreigner,  and  to  offer  the  most  apparently 
sincere  congratulations  on  his  recovery.  But  as 
(98) 


THE   LOST   LODE.  99 

he  talked,  Vyner  could  not  resist  the  impression 
that  he  knew  the  true  cause  of  his  mysterious  ac- 
cident ;  and  this  impression  received  absolute  con- 
firmation when,  on  preparing  to  take  leave,  the 
cura  uttered  a  few  significant  words. 

"  It  has  given  me  pleasure  to  pay  this  visit, 
sen  or ;  but  since  I  could  hardly  claim  the  honor 
of  your  acquaintance,  I  might  not  perhaps  have 
ventured  to  intrude  upon  you  had  I  not  been 
asked  to  do  so  by  one  who  takes  a  deep  interest 
in  your  condition — the  Senorita  Guadalupe  San- 
doval." 

At  the  sound  of  that  name  the  color  leaped  to 
Vyner's  cheek  and  a  light  into  his  eyes ;  but  be- 
fore he  could  speak  the  priest  went  on : 

"  She  is  not  only  anxious  to  know  how  you  are, 
but  she  wishes  much  to  see  you.  She  is  to-day  at 
the  cur  at  o  with  my  sister.  Is  it  possible  for  you  to 
walk  there  and  speak  to  her  for  a  few  minutes  ? 
She  desires  to  see  you  more  privately  than  is  pos- 
sible at  the  hacienda." 

Vyner  was  on  his  feet  in  an  instant.  He  forgot 
that  he  had  ever  been  a  sick  man.  An  elixir  of 
vitality  seemed  poured  into  his  veins  in  the  mere 
thought  that  Guadalupe  wished  to  see  him,  that 
she  had  sent  for  him. 

"  I  shall  be  delighted,  senor,"  he  managed  to 
say.  "  Dona  Guadalupe  honors  me  by  her  request. 
Can  I  accompany  you  at  once  ?  " 


100  THE  LOST  LODE. 

"It  will  be  well,"  answered  the  cura  with  a 
slight  smile. 

And  so,  walking  as  one  in  a  dream,  Vyner  went 
with  the  tall,  black-draped  figure  out  into  the 
glare  of  the  sunlit  streets.  It  was  not  very  far  to 
the  curato,  which  adjoined  the  church,  and  once 
formed  part  of  an  ancient  monastery.  There  was 
a  cloistral  air  still  about  the  beautiful  old  court 
into  which  Vyner  found  himself  introduced,  where 
a  great  brimming  fountain  filled  the  centre,  in  the 
midst  of  broad-leafed  tropical  plants,  and  vines 
that  with  a  wealth  of  greenery  clambered  up  the 
pillars  and  around  the  carved  stone  arches  of  the 
corridors  which  encircled  the  four  sides  of  the 
quadrangle.  All  was  still  and  full  of  the  spirit 
of  repose.  Two  or  three  white-plumaged  pigeons 
were  resting  on  the  edge  of  the  fountain,  now  and 
then  dipping  their  beaks  in  the  water  like  Pliny's 
doves.  Some  of  the  ancient  monastic  inscriptions 
were  still  visible  on  the  walls.  As  Vyner  sat  down, 
while  the  cura  with  a  few  words  of  apology  left 
him,  he  found  himself  half-unconsciously  reading 
these  inscriptions :  "  Gruardad  el  orden  para  que 
el  ordensoguarde"  '•'•Sin  la  Fe  es  impossible  agradar 
a  Dios"  "  Que  aprovecha  al  hombre  ganar  el  mundo 
entero  si pierde  su  alma."  "Si  no  hiziereis  peniten- 
cia  todos  igualmente  perecereis." 

So  they  ran,  the  spirit  which  they  breathed 
making  a  strange  contrast  to  the  mood  of  the  man 
who  read  them.  He  might  have  been  struck  with 


THE  LOST  LODE.  101 

this  himself  had  not  the  thought  of  Guadalupe 
near  at  hand  banished  all  possible  reflections  upon 
the  brown-robed  Franciscans  who  once  paced 
these  cloisters  and  thus  reminded  themselves  of 
their  renunciation  of  the  world  and  all  things 
earthly. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  the  cura  was  long  absent, 
but  in  reality  only  a  few  minutes  elapsed  before 
he  returned,  saying  with  grave  courtesy,  "  If  you 
will  come  this  way,  senor,  Dofia  Guadalupe  will 
see  you." 

A  moment  later  Vyner  found  himself  in  a  long, 
lofty  room,  very  bare  of  furniture  but  impressive 
from  its  fine  air  of  space,  its  rigorous  cleanliness 
and  noble  proportions.  A  few  religious  pictures, 
old  and  dim  but  of  evident  artistic  value,  hung 
upon  the  walls,  a  number  of  straight-backed  chairs 
were  ranged  below  them.  At  one  end  of  the 
apartment  stood  a  table  on  which  were  books, 
writing  materials,  and  a  tall  ivory  crucifix.  Near 
this  was  a  small  square  of  carpet,  a  narrow  sofa, 
and  two  or  three  more  comfortable  chairs.  To 
this  place  of  honor  the  cura  ceremoniously  led  his 
guest,  but,  before  he  could  obey  the  gesture 
which  invited  him  to  be  seated,  a  door  at  the 
farther  end  of  the  room  opened,  and  Guadalupe 
entered. 

Vyner's  first  sensation  on  seeing  her  was  one  of 
shocked  surprise — so  much  had  she  changed  since 
he  saw  her  last.  How  pale  and  thin  was  her  face, 


102  THE   LOST   LODE. 

how  dark  the  shadows  beneath  her  beautiful  eyes ! 
She  looked  like  one  who  had  just  arisen  from  a 
bed  of  sickness ;  and  this  thought  found  expres- 
sion in  his  first  words. 

"You  have  been  ill !  "  he  said,  taking  a  few  im- 
petuous steps  to  meet  her.  "  It  was  too  much  for 
you — "  He  paused  abruptly.  He  had  been  about 
to  add,  "  that  night  upon  the  mountain  when  you 
saved  me,"  but  the  cura  was  still  standing  by,  and 
he  suddenly  remembered  that  he  did  not  know 
how  much  or  how  little  had  been  revealed  to  the 
latter. 

"  I  have  been  ill  a  little,"  she  answered,  "  but  it 
did  not  matter.  Why  should  you  speak  of  any- 
thing so  unimportant  ?  I  can  think  of  nothing  but 
my  gratitude  to  God  that  I  see  you  standing  be- 
fore me  once  more  in  life  and  health.  Ah,  senor, 
never,  never  can  I  be  grateful  enough  that  our 
prayers—"  she  glanced  at  the  priest  as  if  to  show 
who  was  included  in  the  plural  pronoun — "have 
been  heard,  and  your  life  has  been  spared." 

"  Senor  Vyner  has  indeed  much  to  thank  God 
and  you  for,"  said  the  cura  impressively.  "  And 
now  I  will  leave  you  to  speak  to  him  undis- 
turbed." 

He  turned  and  went  out,  closing  the  door  care- 
fully behind  him.  Guadalupe  sat  down  on  the 
sofa,  and,  leaning  back  with  an  air  of  weakness, 
invited  Vyner  by  a  gesture  to  take  the  chair  near- 
est her.  He  obeyed  ;  but  so  powerful  was  the 


THE   LOST   LODE.  103 

emotion  which  filled  his  heart  as  he  looked  at 
her,  that  he  was  absolutely  incapable  of  utterance, 
and  it  was  she  who  spoke  first. 

"  It  is  very  good  of  you,  senor,  to  come  so 
promptly  in  answer  to  my  summons.  Since  we 
have  heard  that  you  were  getting  better,  I  have 
troubled  myself  much  to  think  how  I  could  possi- 
bly be  sure  of  obtaining  a  few  words  alone  with 
you — for  they  are  words  which  it  is  very  neces- 
sary that  I  should  speak.  But  my  kind  friend 
the  euro,  came  to  my  assistance  and  offered  to 
arrange  an  opportunity.  This  is  why  I  see  you 
here." 

"  I  felt  your  summons  to  be  an  honor,"  Vyner 
answered,  "  and  as  for  my  coming  promptly — one 
does  not  deserve  much  thanks  for  doing  that 
which  one  desires  to  do  above  all  things.  I,  too, 
have  been  troubling  myself  with  the  thought  of 
how  I  could  best  manage  to  see  you — but  it  was 
not  so  much  for  the  sake  of  anything  I  had  to  say, 
as  simply  to  see  you.  And  yet  I  have  much  to 
say,  for  I  have  my  life  to  thank  you  for.  I  do 
not  know  how  or  why  you  came  to  be  upon  that 
mountain  ;  but  I  know  well  that  had  you  not  been 
there,  I  should  not  be  here  now." 

She  put  her  hands  to  her  face  for  a  moment 
with  a  slight  shudder,  as  if  the  memory  of  that  to 
which  he  alluded  was  almost  more  than  she  could 
bear.  Then  dropping  them  into  her  lap,  she 
looked  at  him  steadily  with  her  sad,  lovely  gaze. 


104  THE  LOST   LODE. 

"  And  if  I  did  something  for  you  that  night, 
senor,"  she  said,  "  you  have  fully  repaid  me  by 
the  strict  and  honorable  manner  in  which  you  have 
observed  the  secrecy  I  asked  of  you.  To  know 
the  truth  would,  I  think,  kill  my  uncle — for  he 
has  had  much  trouble,  and  he  is  a  proud  man.  I 
am  aware  that  I  asked  much  of  you  in  entreating 
this  silence — for  you  have  been  betrayed  in  your 
most  important  interests  by  one  whom  you  trusted 
— betrayed,  as  well  as  almost  murdered.  I 
am  bowed  to  the  earth  with  shame  when  I  think 
it,  when  I  say  to  myself  that  my  cousin — " 

She  paused,  her  voice  choked  with  the  emotion 
which  for  a  moment  she  could  not  control.  And 
it  was  then,  without  an  instant's  premeditation, 
that  Vyner  let  himself  go. 

"  Guadalupe,  Guadalupe,"  he  said,  suddenly 
bending  forward  and  taking  the  two  slender 
hands  that  lay  in  her  lap,  "  do  not  think  of  these 
things  !  Think  only  of  what  I  am  going  to  tell 
you.  I  love  you  with  all  my  heart !  What  is  it 
to  me  whether  your  cousin  betrayed  me  or  not? 
I  thank  him  for  nearly  killing  me,  since  it  has 
made  me  owe  my  life — my  new  life — to  you.  If 
you  will  take  this  life,  which  is  now  yours  and 
yours  only,  I  can  ask  nothing  better  of  earth. 
And  I  have  said  to  myself  of  late  that  there  may 
be  a  hope  of  this  happiness  for  me  if  it  was  indeed 
for  my  sake  that  you  climbed  that  lonely  mount- 
ain in  the  dead  of  night — " 


THE  LOST  LODE.  105 

She  drew  her  hands  from  his  grasp  with  a  look 
of  something  akin  to  terror.  "  Ah,  my  God!" 
she  breathed,  as  if  to  herself,  "what  is  this? 
Senor,  what  can  I  say  to  you  ?  "  she  went  on, 
looking  at  Vyner.  "  You  are  mistaken.  It  was 
not  for  your  sake  I  went  to  the  mine  that  night. 
It  was  to  warn  my  cousin  of  your  coming,  since  I 
saw  you  pass  our  house." 

He  started  as  if  she  had  stung  him.  "  What !  " 
he  said  in  a  voice  the  tones  of  which  were  all 
jarring,  "  you  knew,  then,  of  his  treachery,  and 
wished  to  shield  him  from  discovery  ?  " 

"  I  wished,"  she  said,  "  to  save  him  from  possi- 
ble crime,  and  you  from  possible  danger — for  I 
feared  what  would  occur  if  you  met.  I  did  not 
know  he  was  there,  but  I  suspected  it ;  and  your 
going  to  the  mine  at  such  an  hour  made  me  almost 
certain  of  it.  So  I  went — and  although  I  was  not 
able  to  prevent  what  I  feared,  by  God's  mercy  J 
prevented  its  worse  consequence." 

"  Ah,"  he  said,  "  I  remember  now  that  your 
manner  the  day  before  first  made  me  think  that 
there  might  be  something  wrong  with  your  cousin. 
I  felt  then  that  you  feared  or  suspected  something. 
But  let  that  pass.  How  does  it  matter  ?  Whether 
you  went  that  night  for  my  sake  or  not,  you  saved 
my  life,  and  I  love  you  with  a  passionate  devo- 
tion. I  can  think  of  nothing  but  these  things — 
nothing  else  is  worth  a  moment's  consideration. 


106  THE    LOST   LODE. 

Guadalupe,  will  you  not  take  the  life  arid  the  de- 
votiou  ?  Ah  !  if  you  only  will " 

He  leaned  forward  as  if  he  would  again  have 
seized  her  hands,  but  she  drew  slightly  away  and 
spoke  with  a  grave  and  gentle  dignity,  which  even 
in  that  moment  he  thought  he  had  never  seen 
equalled. 

"  Sefior."  she  said,  "  listen  to  me  while  I  tell  you 
a  story.  It  is  one  which  I  came  here  to  tell  you, 
though  I  never  thought  of  such  a  reason  for  it  as 
the  one  you  have  just  given  me.  You  know,  per- 
haps, that  I  have  grown  up  in  my  uncle's  house, 
and  that  my  cousin  Fernando  and  I  have  known 
each  other  from  our  earliest  years.  But  you  do 
not  know  that  we  have  loved  each  other  always — 
not  as  cousins  only,  but  in  a  more  tender  and  pe- 
culiar manner.  Had  things  been  different,  we 
should  have  been  acknowledged  lovers.  But 
everything  was  against  us — most  of  all  our  pov- 
erty. I  am  a  child  of  charity,  possessing  nothing, 
and  my  uncle,  with  a  large  family  and  many  cares, 
could  give  Fernando  nothing.  So  there  seemed 
before  us  only  hopeless  waiting,  or  more  hopeless 
separation.  And  then  came  the  temptation  which 
turned  Fernando  from  an  honorable  man  into  a 
traitor.  His  heart  was  set  upon  finding  the  lost 
lode  of  the  Espirifru  Santo  Mine.  Once,  and  once 
only,  he  spoke  to  me  of  his  hopes,  when  first  there 
was  a  question  of  his  taking  service  with  you.  I 
urged  him  not  to  do  so — urged  him  until  I  angered 


THE    LOST  LODE.  107 

him,  and  never  again  would  he  speak  to  me  on  the 
subject.  I  knew  nothing  of  what  he  was  doing, 
but  I  lived  in  dread.  I  suspected  that  he  was  be- 
traying your  interests,  and  I  knew  not  which  I 
feared  most — his  conviction  of  treachery  or  his 
success.  I  could  not  sleep  at  night  for  thinking 
and  watching,  and  so  it  came  to  pass  that  I  saw 
you  when  you  went  by  on  that  night.  The  sight 
of  you  seemed  to  confirm  my  worst  fears,  and 
trusting  to  the  help  of  God,  I  took  the  short  path 
up  the  mountain,  hoping  to  arrive  before  you, 
warn  Fernando,  and  avert  the  terrible  conse- 
quences which  must  follow,  I  feared,  a  meeting 
between  you.  But  I  was  too  late  for  this — you 
were  already  there  when  I  arrived.  So  I  could 
do  nothing  but  wait — O  Mother  of  God  !  in  what 
heart-sickening  suspense! — until  Fernando  came 
rushing  down  the  mountain  like  a  madman,  and 
told  me  he  had  left  you  injured — dying,  in  the 
mine " 

Her  tones  faltered,  ceased — for  a  moment  she 
could  not  continue.  It  was  Vyner  who  broke  the 
pause  by  speaking;  but  his  voice  sounded 
strangely  different  from  that  in  which  he  had 
spoken  before. 

"  And  then  you  went  down  into  the  dark  and 
dangerous  shaft  to  save  me  I  Did  you  not  think 
that  it  might  be  better  and  safer  for  the  man  you 
loved  to  leave  me  there  to  die?  " 

There  was  something  pathetic,  though  not  re- 


108  THE  LOST  LODE. 

proachful,  in  the  glance  of  the  dark  eyes  as  they 
met  his  own.  "  I  only  thought,"  she  said,  "  that  I 
would  willingly  die  myself  to  save  you,  and  to 
atone  for  the  great  wrong  that  had  been  done 
you.  And  when  I  asked  you  to  meet  me  here,  it 
was  to  tell  you  this  story  that  you  might  under- 
stand — a  little — how  Fernando  was  tempted  to  so 
base  an  act." 

"  I  can  understand  a  man  being  tempted  to  any- 
thing for  love  of  you !  "  said  Vyner,  as  if  the 
words  were  wrung  from  him. 

"  I  forced  him  to  return  to  the  mine  the  next 
day,"  she  went  on,  as  if  eager  to  end  her  story, 
"  because  if  he  had  stayed  away  he  would  at  once 
have  been  identified  as  your  assailant.  He  was 
loath  to  go,  but  for  his  father's  sake  he  compelled 
himself  to  do  so.  When  you  are  able  to  return  to 
the  mine,  he  will  leave  it  at  once.  All  is  over. 
He  has  lost  everything.  I  hope,  therefore,  that 
you  will  be  generous  and  spare  him  as  much  as 
possible — that  you  will  continue  to  preserve  the 
secrecy " 

"You  have  my  promise,"  Vyner  interposed 
hoarsely.  "  It  was  given  you  not  for  a  week,  a 
month,  a  year — but  for  my  life.  Your  cousin  is 
safe  from  me.  But  God  of  heaven  !  how  can  you 
say  that  he  has  lost  everything  when  he  still  has 


"  No,"  she  said  quietly,  "  he  has  me  no  longer. 
All  is  at  an  end  between  us.     I  am  going  away — 


THE  LOST  LODE.  109 

it  is  likely  that  I  shall  never  come  back.  But  be- 
fore going,  I  wished  to  tell  you  this  that  you 
might  understand — and  I  wished  also  to  thank 
you  for  the  great  generosity  of  your  silence." 

"  You  shame  me  when  you  speak  to  me  in  that 
manner,"  he  said.  "  But  for  you  my  lips  would 
have  been  sealed  in  an  eternal  silence.  Could  I 
do  less,  then,  than  I  have  done — even  if  I  did  not 
love  you?  But  I  do  love  you  with  all  the  passion 
of  my  soul — you  must  know  and  feel  that.  What 
is  your  childish  romance  with  your  cousin  to  me  ? 
You  have  found  him  unworthy,  you  have  given 
him  up.  Guadalupe,  come,  then,  to  me ! — come 
and  bless  my  life  with  your  love,  for  I  tell  you 
that  I  cannot  live  without  you." 

"  Oh,  yes,  senor  !  "  she  said  with  almost  tender 
sadness,  "you  will  live  very  well  without  me. 
For,  indeed,  I  think  we  should  prove  very  unlike, 
you  and  I — and  when  you  go  back  to  your  own 
country  you  will  feel  this.  I  should  be  as  alien 
to  your  country,  your  ideas,  your  life,  as  you  are 
to  my  country,  my  life,  and  my  religion.  Still  I 
know  that  love  can  build  a  bridge  over  greater 
differences  than  these.  But  I  do  not  love  you, 
senor.  I  have  loved  only  Fernando  all  my  life. 
And  although  he  has  killed  that  love,  I  cannot 
put  up  another  in  his  place.  I  have  been  through 
dark  and  bitter  waters  since  the  night  when  I  met 
him  flying  with  your  blood  upon  his  soul  ;  but 
now  the  worst  is  over  and  my  way  is  clear.  I  am 


110  THE   LOST    LODE. 

going  to  offer  my  heart  to  God,  if  he  will  accept 
it.  If  not,  I  shall  find  work  to  do  in  the  world. 
But  with  love,  as  I  have  known  it,  I  am  done  for 
ever.  Speak  to  me  of  it  no  more.  " 

He  looked  at  her  with  an  expression  of  mingled 
anguish  and  despair.  Never  before,  in  all  his 
spoiled  life,  had  he  felt  so  hopeless,  never  before 
realized  that  something  opposed  him  stronger 
than  any  force  which  he  could  bring  to  bear 
against  it.  Given  a  woman  of  the  world — of  his 
own  world — and  he  would  have  known  well  what 
to  say  in  such  a  case  ;  but  what  could  he  say  to 
this  girl  who  had  been  moulded  by  influences  so 
alien  to  any  he  had  known,  and  in  whose  beauti- 
ful eyes  all  fires  of  earthly  passion  seemed  indeed 
for  ever  quenched  ?  He  could  only  put  out  his 
hand  with  a  great  and  bitter  cry  of  yearning. 

"  Guadalupe,"  he  said,  "  you  break  my  heart ! 
I  have  hoped  so  much,  so  much — and  now  you 
tell  me  that  there  is  no  hope  ! " 

"  None  from  me,  senor,"  she  answered  very 
gently.  "  But  remember  that  I  shall  never  forget 
my  debt  of  gratitude  to  you,  and  that  as  long  as  I 
live  your  name  will  always  have  a  place  in  my 
prayers.  Take  again  my  heart's  best  thanks,  and 
now — Adiog." 

The  sweet  and  solemn  farewell  was  still  sound- 
ing in  his  ears  as  he  left  the  room,  and  still  before 
his  eyes  he  saw — for  how  many  a  long  day  would 
he  not  continue  to  see ! — the  last  picture  of 


THE  LOST  LODE.  Ill 

Guadalupe,  standing  in  the  dim  light  of  the  old 
monastic  chamber,  with  the  white  crucifix  out- 
lined against  the  wall  behind  her  graceful  head. 

The  cura,  pacing  to  and  fro  in  the  corridor, 
breviary  in  hand,  met  him  with  something  of 
compassion  in  his  dark,  gentle  glance.  Perhaps 
the  white  face  of  the  young  man  told  its  own 
story  to  those  observant  eyes. 

"  You  will  rest  a  little  longer,  senor,"  he  said 
kindly,  "before  going  out  again  into  the  sun? 
And  a  glass  of  wine — " 

But  Vyner  declined  these  friendly  offers.  "  The 
sun  matters  nothing,  senor,"  he  said  a  little 
grimly.  "  It  is  necessary  that  I  should  return  to 
my  house.  I  have  many  preparations  to  make. 
I  am  leaving  for  England  immediately." 

"It  is  best,",  said  the  cura.  "You  will  find 
that  when  you  are  once  at  home,  your  wound  will 
cure  very  speedily." 

Was  there  a  double  meaning  in  his  speech? 
Vyner  did  not  know.  But  these  words  too 
remained  with  him,  as  he  passed  from  the  cool, 
shaded  court,  with  its  fountain  and  doves,  ita 
blooming  flowers  and  ascetic  inscriptions,  to  the 
white  glare  and  dust  of  the  street  beyond. 


STELLA'SDISCIPLINE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"  WHAT  !  not  ready  yet  ?  "  said  Mr.  Southgate, 
in  a  tone  of  disappointment,  as  his  fiancee,  Miss 
Gordon,  entered  the  room  where  he  had  been 
awaiting  her  appearance  for  more  than  an  hour. 
"  Do  you  know  how  late  it  is  ?  " 

"  It  is  rather  late,  I  fear  ;  but  I  am  ready  now," 
she  answered,  coming  forward  with  a  cloud  of 
snowy  worsted  web  in  her  hand.  "  Here,  put 
this  over  my  head,"  she  continued,  extending  it 
toward  him  ;  "  and  pray  be  careful  to  place  it 
lightly,  so  that  my  hair  may  not  be  rumpled." 

He  took  the  fleecy  drapery,  but  held  it  motion- 
less and  stood  looking  at  her  doubtfully.  She  was 
in  evening  toilet  for  a  musical  soiree  to  which  they 
were  going,  save  that  her  hair  was  not  dressed  at 
all,  but  flowed  loosely  over  her  shoulders  and  far 
down  her  back,  one  rippling  mass  of  gold.  A 
magnificent  chevelure  it  was ;  and  nobody  was 
more  conscious  of  the  fact  than  Mr.  Southgate,  or 
admired  it  more  enthusiastically.  But  he  objected 
8  (113) 


114  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

to  the  style,  then  just  coming  into  fashion,  of  loose 
tresses. 

He  had  already  protested  on  several  occasions 
against  Miss  Gordon's  appearing  even  in  her 
mother's  drawing-room,  when  guests  were  present, 
in  this,  which  he  considered,  and  hesitated  not  to 
call,  demi-toilette ;  he  had  implored  her  not  to 
adopt  a  fashion  that  was  to  him  so  obnoxious. 
And  now  to  see  that  his  arguments  and  entreaties 
were  alike  disregarded  not  only  surprised  but  dis- 
pleased him,  as  his  countenance  unmistakably 
evinced. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  the  young  lady  asked, 
when  he  paused,  glancing  up  into  his  face  as  in- 
nocentty  as  if  she  had  no  suspicion  of  the  cause 
of  his  hesitation. 

"  Your  hair,"  he  answered.  "  You  surely  do 
not  intend  to  wear  it  in  that  way,  Stella,  when 
you  know  how  much  I  dislike  for  you  to  do  so  ?  " 

"  But  why  should  you  dislike  it  ? "  she  ex- 
claimed impatiently.  "  Really,  Edward,  it  is  too 
much  for  you  to  expect  to  dictate  to  me  in  an  af- 
fair of  this  kind  !  Surely  I  have  a  right  to  wear 
my  hair  as  I  please. " 

"  I  am  not  attempting  to  dictate  to  you,"  said 
he.  "  I  am  asking  as  a  favor  that  you  will  not 
do  a  thing  which  seems  to  me  so — in  such  bad 
taste,  and  which  is  so  offensive  to  my  eyes." 

"  Offensive  to  your  eyes  !  "  repeated  she  resent- 
fully. "  Then  your  eyes  see  very  differently  from 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  115 

those  of  other  people !  It  is  fashionable,  and 
everybody  says  it  is  very  becoming  to  me.  I 
never  heard  of  anything  so  unreasonable  as  your 
undertaking  to  interfere  in  the  matter;  and,"  she 
added,  her  color  rising  and  her  voice  taking  a 
sharp  and  emphatic  tone,  "  I  cannot  submit  to  such 
tyranny !  I  like  to  wear  my  hair  so,  and  I  intend 
to  wear  it  so  !  " 

Mr.  Southgate  pressed  the  point  no  further. 
Lifting  the  lace -like  fabric  he  was  holding,  he 
enveloped  her  head  carefully,  as  she  had  re- 
quested, then,  taking  his  hat,  offered  his  arm. 

Not  a  word  was  exchanged  between  them  as 
they  left  the  room  where  this  altercation  occurred, 
passing  through  the  hall,  out  of  the  house,  and 
along  the  walk  which  led  to  the  gate,  at  which 
a  carriage  was  waiting. 

They  had  been  engaged  about  a  fortnight,  and 
in  that  time  each  had  learned  several  things  about 
the  other  which  they  had  not  known  before. 

Stella  discovered  that  her  lover  could  be  stern 
and  was  (she  considered)  inclined  to  be  very  arbi- 
trary ;  Southgate's  romantic  dreams  of  angelic  per- 
fection in  his  betrothed,  and  ideal  happiness  in  the 
future,  had  been  rudely  and  utterly  dispelled. 

Of  the  two  he  was  the  more  disappointed  and 
dissatisfied.  Though  not  pleased  to  meet  a  master 
where  she  expected  to  find  a  slave,  the  girl  was  at 
least  as  much  attracted  as  repelled  by  the  very  se- 
verity of  a  character  so  different  from  any  she  had 


116  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE, 

ever  come  in  contact  with  before ;  and,  while  re- 
senting and  resisting  Southgate's  assumption  of 
authority,  she  extravagantly  admired  the  man 
himself.  Notwithstanding  the  jars  and  discords 
between  them,  she  was  more  in  love  with  him  now 
than  when  the  engagement  was  entered  into. 

With  Southgate  it  was  the  reverse.  To  find 
that  she  had  a  very  quick,  unreasonable,  and  per- 
fectly uncontrolled  temper,  with  a  rather  loud 
manner  which  often  grated  harshly  on  his  fastidi- 
ous taste,  was  far  from  agreeable ;  but,  being  sin- 
cerely devout  himself,  the  worst  shock  he  had 
received  was  in  the  gradual  realization  that,  al- 
though nominally  a  Catholic,  she  was  not  in  the 
least  degree  practical  in  her  religion.  The  child 
of  a  non-Catholic  mother,  and  of  a  father  who, 
while  calling  himself  of  the  faith  and  insisting 
upon  his  daughter's  being  baptized  and  educated 
in  it,  was  virtually  a  materialist,  Stella  had  grown 
up  in  a  purely  worldly  atmosphere,  with  nothing 
but  the  most  conventional  moral  teachings  and — 
the  inevitable  result  of  such  circumstances — with 
the  most  glaring  defects  of  character. 

Southgate  was  a  sensible  man  and  a  man  of 
calm  temperament.  He  was  also  in  love.  There- 
fore, when  the  unwelcome  indications  of  imper- 
fection obtruded  themselves  upon  his  notice,  he 
excused  her  on  the  ground  both  of  her  rearing 
and  of  the  fact  that  she  was  an  only  child  and 
much  spoiled.  It  would  be  a  labor  of  love  as 


lit 

Well  as  a  work  of  charity  to  teach  her  to  correct 
faults  which,  he  was  sure,  were  those  of  accident, 
not  constitution,  he  said  to  himself. 

But  the  evil  lay  deeper  than  he  was  at  first 
willing  to  believe.  Every  day  of  more  intimate 
acquaintance  brought,  it  seemed  to  him,  some 
fresh  revelation  of  the  utter  worldliness  and  sel- 
fishness of  her  nature,  her  absolute  incapacity, 
apparently,  to  appreciate  or  even  to  comprehend 
the  mysteries  of  our  holy  faith.  Not  that  she  was 
entirely  without  good,  and  not  that  he 'could  ac- 
cuse her  of  having  deliberately  deceived  him  in 
any  way.  She  had  some  natural  virtues,  and  she 
was  very  much  in  love  with  him ;  and  these  cir- 
cumstances, as  he  could  see  now  looking  back, 
had  caused  her  to  put  an  involuntary,  possibly  an 
unconscious,  restraint  upon  her  irritability  and  wil- 
fulness  so  long  as  she  was  uncertain  of  his  regard. 
When  once  he  became  her  declared  lover  all  mo- 
tive for  restraint  and  concealment  vanished.  She 
treated  him  just  as  she  treated  every  one  else,  and 
especially  her  own  family — well  or  ill  as  the  whim 
of  the  moment  prompted. 

"  And  this  is  the  woman  whom  I  have  selected 
to  be  the  companion  of  my  life,  the  mother  of  my 
children  !  "  he  had  exclaimed  mentally  many  times 
with  a  constantly  growing  regret  that  he  had  been 
so  precipitate  in  engaging  himself.  But,  un- 
congenial as  the  tie  proved,  the  thought  of  dis- 
solving it  had  never  occurred  to  him  until  to- 


118  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

night.  Now,  however,  a  sudden  resolve  took  pos- 
session of  his  mind. 

"  Self-gratification  is  the  only  law  of  her  being," 
he  thought.  "  We  do  not  suit  each  other.  I  am 
sure  she  must  feel  this  as  clearly  as  I  do.  If  she 
gives  me  an  opportunity  to  do  so  with  honor  I  will 
break  the  engagement." 

This  mental  decision  brought  immediate  relief 
to  him ;  and  perhaps  it  was  reflected  somewhat  in 
his  manner,  for  when  he  was  about  to  hand  Miss 
Gordon  into  her  mother's  carriage  she  abruptly 
drew  back. 

"  I  would  rather  walk,"  she  said  quickly.  "  It 
is  such  a  lovely  night!  You  need  not  come  for 
me,  Uncle  Tim,"  glancing  up  at  the  coachman, 
who  received  this  order  with  great  satisfaction ; 
"  I  will  walk  home,  too." 

"  I  think  you  must  forget  how  far  it  is  to  Mrs. 
Allen's,"  said  Southgate.  "It  is  half  a  mile  at 
least.  Are  you  sure  that  the  walk  will  not  be  too 
long  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  shall  like  it,"  she  answered. 

"  But  your  shoes,  your  dress,"  he  felt  bound  in 
duty  to  suggest — "  are  they  fit  for  the  street  ?  " 

"  Oh !  yes  :  the  pavements  are  perfectly  dry ; 
they  cannot  be  hurt.  This  quiet  starlight  is  so 
beautiful  that  I  can't  endure  the  thought  of  ex- 
changing it  for  the  glare  of  gas  without  having 
enjoyed  it  for  a  little  while." 

As  she  spoke  she  gathered  up  the  folds  of  her 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  119 

train  with  one  hand,  and,  again  placing  the  other 
on  his  arm,  led  the  way  down  the  street. 

The  night  was  fine,  though  it  was  near  the  end 
of  November.  The  air  was  warm  and  very 
balmy,  and  the  sky  brilliant  with  myriads  of  stars 
that  are  not  visible  when  the  moon's  broad  disc, 
while  illuminating  the  earth,  dims  the  splendor  of 
her  sister-lights  in  the  heavens. 

Love  is  quick  in  its  perceptions.  The  tone  of 
Southgate's  voice,  in  which  there  was  a  ring  of 
cold  courtesy  unlike  his  customary  familiar  ease, 
convinced  Stella  that  he  was  seriously  offended. 
She  had  proposed  walking  on  the  impulse  of  the 
moment,  but  now  she  was  glad  of  the  opportu- 
nity thus  afforded  to  smoothe  and  appease  him, 
not  doubting  her  ability  to  do  so. 

Having  the  opportunity,  she  somehow  found  an 
unexpected  difficulty  in  speaking.  She  was  feel- 
ing at  once  remorseful  and  aggrieved,  conscious 
that  she  had  been  wrong  in  showing  such  entire 
disregard  for  his  often-expressed  wishes,  and  also 
in  refusing  point-blank  his  earnest  entreaty,  yet 
indignant  at  what  she  looked  upon  as  an  un- 
reasonable demand  on  his  part.  After  all,  she 
thought,  he  was  most  to  blame  in  the  dispute.  If 
it  was  to  be  renewed  she  would  leave  him  to  take 
the  initiative  and  would  merely  stand  on  the  de- 
fensive. 

He  did  not  seem  inclined  to  resume  the  subject 
under  discussion.  Half  a  square,  a  whole  square, 


120  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

was  traversed  in  silence.  Then  feminine  patience 
could  endure  no  more.  Stella  exclaimed  impul- 
sively : 

"  You  are  vexed  with  me !  " 

"  No,  I  am  not  vexed,"  he  answered,  "  but  I 
am  sorry — indeed,  it  alarms  me — to  see  my  wishes 
have  so  little  weight  with  you  that  you  will  not 
make  the  slightest  sacrifice  of  van — of  your  own 
inclination  to  please  me." 

'« I  think  your  request  altogether  unreason- 
able," she  replied  warmly.  "  Suppose  I  wanted 
to  dictate  to  you  how  your  hair  should  be  worn, 
and  asked  you  to  shave  all  but  a  fringe  of  it  off. 
Would  you  do  so  ? 

"  No,  because  that  would  be  to  do  the  very 
thing  I  am  objecting  to  your  doing.  It  is  not 
customary  for  men  who  live  in  the  world  to  shave 
their  heads,  and  if  I  shaved  mine  I  should  be 
making  myself  as  conspicuously  and  undesirably 
singular  as  you  are  making  yourself  with  your 
dishevelled  hair.  But  if  you  had  asked  me  to  cut 
my  hair  longer  or  shorter  than  I  usually  wear  it, 
or  to  part  it  in  the  middle  instead  of  at  the  side  as 
I  now  do,  I  should  not  have  hesitated  a  moment  in 
gratifying  your  taste,  however  little  it  agreed 
with  my  own." 

It  required  an  effort,  a  very  strong  effort,  on 
Miss  Gordon's  part  to  control  her  temper  as  she 
listened  to  the  foregoing  speech.  She  felt  that  it 
put  her  at  a  disadvantage.  It  was  with  forced 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  121 

composure  that,  after  a  minute's  hesitation,  she 
said  : 

"You  seern  to  forget,  when  you  talk  of  my 
making  myself  conspicuous  and  singular,  that  I 
did  not  set  this  fashion  which  you  dislike  so 
much,  and  that  I  am  not  alone  in  adopting  it. 
The  style  is  European." 

"  I  suppose  so,  as  I  remember  to  have  seen  it 
stated  that  the  Queen  of  England  and  several 
other  crowned  heads  have  forbidden  the  presen- 
tation at  court  of  any  lady  whose  head  is  not 
'  properly  coifed,' "  he  answered  drily.  "  No 
doubt  the  style  was  originated  by  some  fast  En- 
glish girl-of- the -period,  or  perhaps — " 

If  Stella  had  been  his  wife  he  would  have  con- 
cluded the  sentence  in  the  words  that  were  on  his 
lips — "  perhaps  it  comes  from  the  demi-monde  of 
Paris."  A  sense  of  propriety  restraining  him  from 
relieving  his  mind  by  expressing  himself  thus  for- 
cibly, he  paused  as  above  recorded,  and  was 
silent. 

"  Certainly,  you  do  not  spare  epithets !  "  cried 
Stella  in  an  accent  of  angry  reproach.  Then, 
with  an  effort  at  conciliation,  she  added  in  a  dif- 
ferent tone:  "I  do  think,  Edward,  that  you  are 
very  unjustly  severe  about  what  is,  after  all,  only 
a  trifle.  But  since  you  have  such  a  rooted  preju- 
dice against  loose  hair,  I  promise  you  I  will  never 
wear  mine  so  again." 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said.     "  You  may  consider  it 


122  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

a  trifle  ;  I  do  not.  A  woman  cannot  be  too  care- 
ful in  avoiding  all  peculiarity  of  dress  and  man^ 
ner,  unless  " — he  spoke  pointedly — "  she  wishes  to 
attract  the  admiration  of  ineii  whose  attentions 
are  very  undesirable." 

"  Ah !  "  exclaimed  Stella  to  herself,  and  she  al- 
most laughed  aloid,  "I  understand  now:  Mr. 
Gartrell  I " 


CHAPTER  II. 

MR.  GARTRELL  was  just  now  very  much  talked 
of  and  very  much  thought  of  in  the  social  world 
to  which  Miss  Gordon  and  Southgate  belonged — 

the  town  of  M .     He  had  lately  come  to  that 

place  as  a  resident,  his  uncle,  old  Mr.  Gartrell, 
having  died  not  long  before,  leaving  him  a  large 
estate  in  the  neighborhood. 

It  was  not  his  newly-acquired  wealth,  however, 
that  made  his  principal  claim  to  attention.  Of 
course  it  added  to  that  claim — added  very  much. 
But  he  had  been  a  man  of  note  long  before  his 
uncle  was  obliging  enough  to  die.  A  lawyer  of 
very  decided  ability  and  rank  in  his  profession,  he 
was  specially  distinguished  in  social  life.  Most 
people,  men  as  well  as  women,  thought  him  fas- 
cinating— when  he  chose  to  exert  himself  to 
please,  that  is  to  say.  By  a  few  he  was  regarded 
with  a  sentiment  approaching  to  disgust — perhaps 
because  he  took  no  trouble  to  propitiate  the  good 
opinion  of  this  small  minority. 

Up  to  the  time  of  his  accession  of  fortune  he 
was  notoriously  not  a  marrying  man.  He  had 
managed  to  live  by  his  profession,  and  to  live  tol- 
erably well ;  but  he  had  never  manifested,  nor 
been  suspected  of  entertaining,  any  disposition 

(123) 


124 

toward  matrimony.  Now  the  case  was  different. 
It  seemed  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world,  his 
wide  circle  of  acquaintances  thought,  that  he 
should  take  a  wife,  so  well  able  as  he  was  to  afford 
that  luxury.  His  crop  of  wild  oats  bad  been  an 
unusually  plentiful  one  ;  but  the  season  for  sow- 
ing was,  or  ought  to  be,  over  for  him.  He  was  in 
age  between  thirty-five  and  forty — probably  nearer 
the  last  than  the  first. 

All  circumstances  considered,  consequently,  the 

social  world  of  M was  excited  over  Mr.  Gar- 

trell's  advent  and  affairs. 

"  An  excellent  match  for  somebody,"  Mrs.  Al- 
len, one  of  the  principal  society  women  of  the 
town,  remarked  frankly.  Having  neither  daugh- 
ters nor  nieces  to  dispose  of,  she  felt  no  hesitation 
in  saying  aloud  what  some  of  her  friends  only 
said  to  themselves ;  and  being  both  good-natured 
and  of  a  match-making  turn  of  mind,  she  set  her- 
self seriously  to  consider  who  among  all  the  girls 
of  her  acquaintance  would  be  the  most  suitable 
somebody. 

To  facilitate  the  solution  of  this  question  she 
determined  to  give  a  series  of  informal  musical 
parties  ;  and  it  was  to  the  first  one  of  the  parties 
that  Miss  Gordon  and  her  lover  were  now  on  their 
way. 

Mr.  Gartrell  was  not  only,  at  times,  a  fascinat- 
ing man ;  he  was  also  a  handsome  man — undenia- 
bly a  very  handsome  man.  His  least  friendly 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  125 

critics  could  not  deny  that.  He  had  a  fine  figure 
and  a  face  which  arrested  attention  at  a  glance. 
Aquiline  features,  flashing  eyes,  abundant  dark 
hair,  rich  coloring — that  was  the,  first  impression 
made  on  the  eye  of  a  stranger.  A  physiognomist 
might  observe,  looking  at  the  face  deliberately, 
that  the  eyes  were  a  line's-breadth  too  near  to- 
gether, and,  on  close  inspection,  might  perceive 
that  the  nostril  and  lip  had  some  curves  about 
them  that,  when  the  face  was  at  rest,  gave  a 
slightly  sardonic  expression  of  countenance.  With 
the  world  in  general  these  indications  of  character 
passed  unnoticed. 

Miss  Gordon,  who  had  never  met  him  before, 
was  much  struck  by  his  appearance  when,  shortly 
after  her  arrival,  Mrs.  Allen  presented  him  to  her, 
and  she  was  immensely  flattered  by  the  marked  at- 
tention he  paid  her.  It  was  not  at  all  his  habit  to 
bestow  much  notice  on  young  ladies.  It  having 
been  heretofore  an  understood  fact  that  his  atten- 
tions were  never  "  serious,"  he  had  always  felt  at 
liberty  to  devote  himself  to  entertaining  and  be- 
ing entertained  by  married  women  and  widows, 
whose  society  was  much  more  to  his  taste  than 
that  of  unfledged  girlhood.  The  exception  he 
now  made  to  his  general  rule  was,  Stella  felt,  a 
distinguished  compliment,  and  as  such  she  a  little 
too  obviously  received  it. 

That  her  lover  resented  this  was  natural,  and 
that  she  secretly  enjoyed  the  situation  was  equally 


126  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

so,  perhaps.  She  had  no  intention,  no  thought 
even,  of  exchanging  his  love  for  Mr.  Gartrell's 
admiration  ;  but  she  was  in  a  glow  of  gratified 
vanity,  and  triumphed  secretly  in  the  sense  of  be- 
ing the  principal  object  of  interest  to  both  men. 
Of  course  she  saw  plainly  that  Southgate  was  dis- 
pleased. But  what  of  that?  she  thought.  After 
making  himself  so  odiously  disagreeable  as  he  had 
just  been  doing  he  deserved  to  be  tormented  a  lit- 
tle. And  so  the  severe  gravity  of  his  manner  did 
not  deter  her  from  pursuing  what,  before  the  even- 
ing was  half  over,  became  a  decided  flirtation  with 
Mr.  Gartell. 

Mrs.  Allen  looked  on  with  some  uneasiness.  In 
wishing  to  provide  Mr.Gartrell  with  a  wife — or 
rather  to  afford  him  the  opportunity  of  seeking 
one — she  had  by  no  means  intended  to  interfere 
with  Southgate's  rights.  She  read  more  correctly 
than  did  the  heedless  girl  who  was  trifling  with 
her  own  and  her  lover's  happiness  the  signs  on 
the  face  of  the  latter,  and  determined  to  interpose 
and  prevent,  if  possible,  a  serious  misunderstand- 
ing. 

Accordingly,  she  made  an  excuse  to  interrupt 
the  tete-li-tete,  which  had  lasted  too  long  already, 
she  considered,  between  Miss  Gordon  and  Mr. 
Gartrell.  Approaching  the  corner  where  they 
sat,  accompanied  by  a  young  gentleman,  a  stranger, 
she  said: 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  127 

"  Let  me  introduce  a  young  friend  of  mine  to 
you,  Stella.  Mr.  Wayland,  Miss  Gordon. v 

Then,  before  the  formal  acknowledgement  of 
Mr.  Wayland  and  Miss  Gordon  were  over,  she 
turned  to  Mr.  Gartrell  with  a  smile. 

"Pray  give  me  your  arm,"  she  said,  "and  come 
with  me  to  the  dining-room.  I  think  you  have 
taken  nothing  this  evening." 

She  had  chosen  her  time  well  when  the  dining- 
room  was  vacant,  the  music,  which  had  ceased  for 
a  while,  having  just  begun  again. 

"  Do  you  know,"  she  asked,  as  they  sat  down  to 
a  table  to  which  her  guests  came  unceremoniously, 
one,  two,  or  more  at  a  time,  as  they  needed  re- 
freshment— "do  you  know  that  you  are  doing 
mischief  ?  " 

"I  was  not  aware  of  the  fact,"  he  answered. 

"It  is  a  fact,  nevertheless,"  said  she  gravely. 
"  Yes,  John,"  to  a  servant  who  approached  def- 
erentially, "coffee  and  oysters.  The  young  lady 
with  whom  you  have  been  flirting,"  she  went  on, 
as  the  servant  walked  away,  "is  engaged." 

"Ah!" 

"Yes,  and  her  financee  is  evidently  becoming 
jealous  of  the  attention  she  has  given  you  this 
evening." 

A  very  slight,  cynical  smile  played  for  an  instant 
round  the  well-cut  mouth  of  Mr.  Gartrell  before 
he  said : 


128  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"I  am  rather  sorry  to  hear  that  the  young  lady 
is  engaged.  She  pleases  me." 

"  I  thought  you  did  not  admire  young  girls  ?  " 

"  Generally  speaking,  I  do  not ;  but  this  one  is 
exceptionally  pretty  and  attractive,  I  think." 

"  Quite  pretty,  certainly ;  but  now  that  you 
know  she  is  engaged,  you  will  let  her  alone,  I  hope, 
and  not  run  the  risk  of — " 

"  Supplanting  her  lover  ?  "  he  said,  as  his  com- 
panion hesitated  a  moment. 

**  Causing  a  lovers'  quarrel,  I  was  going  to  say. 
I  have  no  idea  that  you  could  supplant  her  lover, 
for  she  is  very  much  attached  to  him.  But  she  is 
vain  and  heedless,  and  inclined  to  be  a  flirt,  as  you 
have  seen  to  night.  If  you  persist  in  your  atten- 
tions you  may  produce  trouble  between  them,  I 
fear." 

Mr.  Gartrell  smiled  again,  more  cynically  than 
before  ;  but  he  did  not  gainsay  the  opinion  of  his 
hostess  in  words.  When  he  went  back  into  the 
music-room  however,  his  eye  at  once  sought  Stel- 
la's graceful  form  and  glittering  tresses. 

She  was  standing  at  the  opposite  end  of  the 
large  apartment,  with  her  back  toward  him,  her 
wealth  of  golden  hair  floating  like  a  veil  over  her 
shoulders  and  far  below  her  waist,  quite  conceal- 
ing the  slender  outline  of  her  figure. 

"  What  hair !  "  Gartrell  thought,  while  exchang- 
ing common-places  about  the  weather,  the  music, 
and  the  company  with  a  lady  who  took  possession  of 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  129 

him   at  once.     "I  never  saw  any  to  equal  it  in 
beauty." 

At  this  moment  she  turned  to  speak  to  some  one 
behind  her,  thus  presenting  her  face  in  turn  to  his 
critical  examination. 

It  was  not  a  beautiful  face,  abstractly  speaking. 
He  acknowledged  that.  A  low,  smooth  forehead 
and  straight  brows  that  might  have  belonged  to  a 
Greek  statue  were  joined  to  a  nose  slightly  but 
unequivocally  retrousse;  a  mouth  which,  though 
well  shaped  and  not  actually  large,  was  propor- 
tionably  a  little  too  large  and  much  too  mobile  to 
be  Greek  in  character;  and  a  somewhat  square 
outline  of  constantly  dimpling  cheek  and  chin. 
It  was  impossible  at  a  first  glance  for  any  artistic- 
ally educated  eye  not  to  wish  that  the  nose  was 
straight,  and  a  little  less  expansive  at  the  nostrils, 
and  that  the  face  were  oval  to  suit  the  beautifully 
formed  head.  \ 

But  even  an  artist,  if  he  looked  long,  could  not 
but  grow  reconciled  to  the  seeming  incongruity  of 
feature.  The  faintly  pink  and  pearl  complexion, 
and  the  full,  liquid  eyes  but  a  shade  darker  than 
the  hair,  were  very  lovely — the  tout  ensemble,  the 
gazer  would  admit  after  a  while,  was  bewitching. 

Gartrell's  gaze  returned  to  it  again  and  again 
with  ever-increasing  admiration,  and  when  he 
made  his  parting  bow  at  the  close  of  the  evening 
he  said  to  himself:  "  That  girl  almost  fascinates 
me.  I  think  I  must  marry  her." 
9 


CHAPTER  III. 

JEALOUSY  is  not  an  agreeable  emotion  in  any 
case,  it  is  to  be  supposed,  though  perhaps  with 
one  naturally  disposed  to  it  there  may  be  a  certain 
sense  of  enjoyment  in  the  indulgence  of  the  pas- 
sion with  or  without  reason,  just  as  a  bad-tem- 
pered person  finds  a  morbid  pleasure  in  giving 
way  to  fits  of  impatience  and  anger.  To  a  thor- 
oughly reasonable  mind,  and  when  there  is  good 
and  sufficient  cause  for  the  suspicion  and  distrust 
which  go  to  make  up  the  sentiment  of  jealousy  in 
a  reasonable  mind,  there  is  nothing  but  pain  in  the 
pangs  it  inflicts. 

Assuredly  there  was  nothing  but  pain  and  doubt 
to  Southgate  in  the  feelings  with  which  he  watched 
Stella's  conduct  during  the  month  which  followed 
the  scenes  above  narrated.  He  could  not  but  be- 
lieve that  he  had  just  cause  for  jealousy ;  yet 
whenever  he  was  conscious  of  a  twinge  of  it  he 
shrank  with  a  sense  of  humiliation  from  what  he 
had  always  regarded  as  a  most  ignoble  passion. 

"  What  ought  I  to  do  ?  "  was  the  question  he 
was  constantly  asking  himself,  and  which  he  found 
it  impossible  for  some  time  to  answer  definitely. 
Again  and  again  he  would  resolve  to  break  the 
engagement.  Bat  it  was  much  easier  fco  make 
(130) 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  131 

than  to  keep  such  a  resolution.  With  all  Stella's 
faults — and  latterly  he  could  see  little  but  faults 
in  her — she  had  managed  to  establish  herself  so 
firmly  in  his  heart  that  he  knew  it  would  require 
a  terrible  wrench  to  tear  her  thence.  Still,  he 
would  not  have  permitted  this  consideration  alone 
to  deter  him  from  acting  decidedly  and  promptly. 
Two  other  reasons  influenced  him  also. 

The  first  of  these  reasons  was  the  belief  that, 
notwithstanding  her  persistent  wilfulness,  she 
really  loved  him,  and,  as  she  often  said  herself, 
would,  when  once  married  to  him,  be  a  dutiful 
and  devoted  wife  ;  the  second  was  partly  a  scruple 
of  conscience,  partly  a  motive  of  charity.  He 
entertained  a  hope  that  if  he  kept  his  troth 
he  might  gradually  win  her  from  her  inordi- 
nate worship  of  the  world  to  the  service  of  God. 
If  he  left  her  and  she  should  marry  (as  she  cer- 
tainly would  in  that  case)  a  non-Catholic — most 
probably  this  man  Gartrell,  who  was  worldly  to 
the  heart's  core — she  would,  lie  was  convinced, 
lose  even  the  semblance  of  faith  she  now  pos- 
sessed. Was  it  right,  his  conscience  asked,  to 
abandon  the  trust  he  had  assumed,  because 
labor  and  patience  were  demanded  in  its  fulfil- 
ment? And  could  he  find  a  more  excellent  work 
of  charity  than  to  rescue  a  soul  from  that  danger- 
ous state  of  indifferentism  which  is  in  the  spiritual 
order  what  coma  is  in  the  natural — the  lethargy 
preceding  death  ? 


132  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

He  went  with  these  difficulties  to  his  confessor, 
and  was  encouraged  by  the  good  father  to  be  pa- 
tient and  hopeful,  and  not  to  act  hastily  either  one 
way  or  the  other. 

"Do  not  press  for  an  early  marriage,  as  you  say 
you  thought  of  doing  in  order  to  bring  matters  to 
a  crisis,"  said  the  priest ;  "  and  try  to  be  indulgent 
to  what  is  more  the  vanity  and  thoughtlessness  of 
extreme  youth  than  anything  else,  I  am  inclined 
to  think.  Remember  that  this  poor  child  has  had 
no  home-teachings.  It  is  from  the  mother  that 
the  first  knowledge  of  faith  and  the  first  idea  of 
duty  is  acquired.  That  the  mother's  influence  in 
this  case  has  been  only  negative  is  the  best  we  can 
hope." 

"  It  is  not  negative  so  far  as  I  am  concerned," 
said  Southgate.  "  I  believe  she  is  doing  her  ut- 
most to  induce  her  daughter  to  break  her  engage- 
ment. Yet  until  Gartrell  came  into  the  field  she 
was  quite  willing  for  Stella  to  marry  me." 

"  Her  change  of  sentiment  is  very  natural  un- 
der the  circumstances,"  said  Father  Darcy,  with 
a  smile.  "  You  were  a  good  parti,  but  Mr.  Gar- 
trell is  a  better  in  point  of  fortune,  and,  I  suspect, 
is  very  much  more  to  Mrs.  Gordon's  taste  from 
the  fact  that,  like  herself,  he  is  thoroughly 
worldly." 

"In  that  respect  he  is  more  to  Stella's  taste, 
too,"  said  Southgate,  gloomily. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  133 

"  Patience !  patience  !  "  said  the  priest  cheer- 
fully. 

This  conversation  occurred  about  a  week  after 
Stella's  first  meeting  with  her  new  admirer.  Her 
professed  admirer  Mr.  Gartrell  at  once  proclaimed 
himself,  by  deed  if  not  word,  and  from  Mrs.  Gor- 
don, at  least,  received  every  possible  encourage- 
ment, in  the  face  of  the  disadvantage  of  her 
daughter's  being  already  engaged. 

The  girl  herself  was  inconceivably  capricious 
and  contradictory  in  her  conduct.  One  time  she 
would  be  passionate  and  haughty,  either  denying 
that  she  was  flirting  with  Gartrell  or  asserting 
her  right  to  do  as  she  pleased  and  receive  whose 
attentions  she  pleased  so  long  as  she  was  un- 
married ;  at  another  meek  and  penitent,  acknowl- 
edging her  faults  so  frankly,  and  appealing  so 
earnestly  to  her  lover's  forbearance,  that  he  could 
not  refuse  the  forgiveness  she  asked,  though  well 
knowing  that  she  obtained  forgiveness  one  day 
only  to  commit  the  very  same  offence  over  again 
the  next. 

He  had  followed  the  priest's  counsel,  deter- 
mined that  he  would  secure  himself  against  all 
danger  of  after  self-reproach.  But  as  the  weeks 
rolled  away  it  became  apparent  to  his  rival  and 
Mrs.  Gordon  that  his  patience  was  not  likely  to 
bear  much  longer  the  strain  put  upon  it.  Both 
these  two  were  working  diligently  to  bring  about 
the  catastrophe  which  Stella  was  so  blind  as  not 


134  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

to  see  approaching,  and  Southgate  felt  must  soon 
come. 

It  came  on  Christmas  eve. 

By  this  time  the  young  man  was  convinced 
that  his  love  and  charity  both  together  could  not 
cover  the  multitude  of  sins  which  he  was  called 
upon  constantly  to  condone.  His  love  was  fast 
changing  to  disgust,  and  his  charity  was,  he  felt, 
powerless  to  effect  any  good  in  a  nature  that 
seemed  hopelessly  shallow  and  commonplace,  if 
not  evil.  Having  satisfied  strictly  the  require- 
ments of  both  honor  and  conscience,  he  waited 
calmly  the  opportunity  to  bring  matters  to  a» 
issue. 

"  Once  for  all,  she  must  choose  between  that 
man  and  myself!  "  he  said  mentally  ;  and,  with 
an  unacknowledged  sense  of  relief,  he  anticipated 
that  her  choice  would  be  in  favor  of  his  rival. 

The  latter  was  equally  anxious  for  a  decisive 
test  of  strength,  and  took  his  measures  accord- 
ingly. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  of  Christmas  eve  South- 
gate  went  to  confession  with  peculiar  dispositions 
of  resignation  and  devotion,  and  afterwards  re- 
mained long  in  prayer  and  meditation  before  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  and  at  the  altar  of  Our  Lady. 

Who  ever  asked  help  in  vain  from  our  divine 
Lord  or  his  Immalculate  Mother  ?  When  he  left 
the  church,  and  walked  slowly  and  thoughtfully 
toward  Mrs.  Gordon's  house,  the  serenity  of  his 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  135 

face  was  reflected  from  a  soul  possessing  that 
peace  which  passe th  the  understanding  of  the 
worldly  mind. 

On  entering  Mrs.  Gordon's  drawing-room  he 
found,  to  his  disappointment,  that  Stella  was  not 
alone.  Her  mother,  several  young  ladies,  her 
friends,  and  Mr.  Gartrell  were  present,  and  were 
discussing  with  great  animation  a  german  which 
the  latter  was  proposing  to  give  that  night  at  his 
house  in  the  country. 

"  I  am  sure  there  will  be  plenty  of  time  to  let 
everybody  know,"  Stella  was  saying  eagerly,  as 
Southgate  paused  an  instant  on  the  threshold — no 
one  having  noticed  the  opening  of  the  door  or 
being  aware  of  his  approach — "  and,  mamma,  you 
must  consent  to  go.  The  roads  are  like  glass,  I 
assure  you.  Aren't  they,  Mr.  Gartrell  ?  " 

"I  am  afraid  to  endorse  that  statement  liter- 
ally," answered  Mr.  Gartrell,  with  a  slight  laugh. 
"  But  they  really  are  excellent  for  the  time  of 
year,  Mrs.  Gordon.  Ah  !  here  comes  a  recruit,  I 
hope,"  he  added,  when  Southgate  advanced. 

Stella's  face  fell  almost  ludicrously  as  she  met 
the  gaze  of  her  fiancee  fastened  on  it,  calm  as  that 
gaze  was.  A  look  of  mingled  fright  and  confu- 
sion took  the  place  of  the  pleasure  it  had  expressed 
the  moment  before.  But  by  the  time  South- 
gate  had  exchanged  salutations  generally,  and 
been  informed  about  the  party  that  was  in  con- 
templation, she  had  somewhat  regained  self-pos- 


136  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

session,  though  still  evidently  embarrassed  and 
very  quiet  in  manner. 

"  It  is  quite  an  impromptu  affair,"  said  Gartrell 
in  explanation  to  Southgate.  "  I  wish  the  idea 
had  occurred  to  me  sooner.  But  I  never  thought 
of  anything  of  the  kind  until  Miss  Gordon  sug- 
gested it  last  night.  I  call  it  her  party  not  mine," 
he  went  on,  with  a  smile  and  bow  to  her  ;  "  and  I 
only  hope,"  he  added,  "  that  she  may  not  find  it 
more  like  a  picnic  than  a  ball." 

"  O  !  so  much  the  better  for  that,"  cried  one  of 
the  other  young  ladies.  "  Picnics  are  pleasanter 
than  formal  parties,  always  provided  there  is  a 
floor  to  dance  the  german  on." 

"That  I  can  promise  you  at  Lauderdale,"  said  Mr. 
Gartrell,  rising.  "  Now  I  must  bid  you  all  au  revoir 
until — eight  o'clock  shall  I  say,  Mrs.  Gordon?" 

"  Better  leave  a  margin,"  that  lady  replied,  with 
a  smile.  "  I  can't  engage  to  be  punctual  with 
five  miles  to  go  by  moonlight.  Some  time  be- 
tween eight  o'clock  and  ten." 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  this  candidly 
vague  appointment.  Gartrell  begged  that  the 
time  might  be  nearer  to  eight  than  to  ten,  if  pos- 
sible. Then,  having  bowed  to  the  ladies,  he 
turned  to  Southgate.  He  was  always  markedly 
courteous  to  the  young  man  whose  fiancee  he  was 
trying  to  take  from  him,  and  spoke  even  cordially 
now  as  he  said  :  "  You  will  come,  of  course,  Mr. 
Southgate  ?  " 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  137 

Before  the  latter  could  reply  his  mother-in-law 
elect  added  blandly  :  "  I  can  give  you  a  seat  in 
the  carriage  with  Stella  and  myself." 

"  Thank  you  both,"  said  Southgate,  smiling  ; 
"  but  I  shall  have  to  deny  myself  the  double  pleas- 
ure you  offer.  I  must  remain  in  town  to  attend 
Midnight  Mass. 

"  Ah !  I  am  sorry,"  said  Gartrell,  shrugging 
his  shoulders  slightly  as  he  left  the  room. 

His  departure  was  followed  immediately  by  that 
of  the  other  guests. 

"  O  Edward !  I  am  so  sorry ;  but  I  entirely 
forgot  Midnight  Mass  when  I  promised  to  go  to 
this  party,"  cried  Stella,  coming  quickly  back  into 
the  drawing-room  after  she  had  taken  leave  of  her 
friends  at  the  door. 

Her  lover  looked  at  her  as  she  sank  into  a  chair 
by  the  fire  and  glanced  up  deprecatingly  into  his 
face,  and  from  her  his  eye  turned  to  her  mother, 
who,  instead  of  leaving  the  room,  as  he  expected 
her  to  do,  continued  placidly  clicking  her  knitting- 
needles,  apparently  absorbed  in  counting  a  row  of 
stitches.  She  did  not  mean  to  give  him  an 
opportunity  of  speaking  to  Stella  alone,  if  she 
could  help  it. 

He  was  determined  to  make  the  opportunity. 

"  Come  and  take  a  short  walk  with  me,  Stella, 
won't  you  ?  "  he  said  gently.  "  The  atmosphere  is 
delightful." 

"  It  is  much   too  late  to  think  of  walking," 


138  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

said  Mrs.  Gordon  coldly.  "  It  is  almost  time  to 
dress." 

"  I  will  not  detain  her  long,"  the  young  man 
replied,  and,  addressing  Stella,  added :  "  I  wish 
very  much  that  you  would  come." 

She  half  rose  from  her  seat,  but  at  a  warning 
look  from  her  mother  sank  back  again,  saying, 
with  ill-concealed  embarrassment : 

"You  really  must  excuse  me,  Edward,  this 
evening." 

"  Then  I  must  beg  to  see  you  for  a  moment  in 
another  room." 

He  spoke  quietly  but  firmly.  Stella  turned 
pale ;  the  expression  of  his  face  alarmed  her. 
How  she  would  have  answered  this  request 
remained  a  matter  of  doubt,  as  Mrs.  Gordon 
interfered  a  second  time.  A  faint  color  rose  to 
her  cheek,  and  she  said  in  a  tone  of  frigid 
hauteur : 

"  Anything  that  you  have  to  say  to  my 
daughter  may  be  said  in  my  presence,  Mr.  South- 
gate." 

"  Pardon  me,  madam,  but  your  daughter  has 
promised,  with  the  consent  of  her  father  and  of 
yourself — at  least  I  so  understood — to  be  my  wife. 
I  think  this  gives  me  the  right  to  speak  to  her 
alone,"  he  replied  coldly  but  respectfully. 

"  There  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  say 
what  you  have  to  say  before  mamma,"  said  Stella 
half  defiantly,  half  appealingly. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  139 

"Very  well.  Did  I  understand  that  you  are 
thinking  of  going  to  the  country  to  a  party 
to-night  ?  " 

The  tone  of  assured  authority  in  which  he 
spoke  roused  that  instinct  of  opposition  which 
was  so  strong  in  Stella's  nature.  Her  mother  saw 
this  with  a  half-smile  and  went  on  with  her 
knitting  ;  while  the  girl  answered  with  flashing 
eyes: 

"  I  am  going." 

"  Have  you,  then,  forgotten  that  you  had  an 
engagement  with  me,  and,  moreover,  that  I  have 
told  you  more  than  once  that  I  do  not  wish  you 
to  receive  Mr.  Gartrell's  attentions  ?  " 

"  Really,  Mr.  Southgate,  the  tone  you  take  is 
intolerable ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gordon  indignantly. 
"  Stella,  you  have  no  pride,  no  self-respect,  if  you 
do  not  discard  this  man  instantly !  " 

But  Stella  was  gazing  wistfully,  imploringly  at 
her  lover.  The  glance  of  his  eye,  the  tone  of  his 
voice,  told  her  that  she  could  no  longer  oppose  or 
trifle  with  him,  unless  she  wanted  to  lose  him. 
Without  even  an  attempt  at  her  usual  fencing 
she  said  meekly : 

"If  you  insist  I  will  not  go,  then." 

At  which  ignominious  surrender  Mrs.  Gordon 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  anger,  rose  hastily  from 
her  seat,  and,  with  a  withering  look  of  comtempt 
for  such  spiritless  submission,  swept  out  of  the 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IT  was  with  mixed  emotions  that  Southgate  left 
the  house  an  hour  later.  Never  in  the  first  days 
of  his  wooing  had  Stella  been  more  winningly 
gentle,  never  in  her  most  penitent  moods  had  she 
made  more  fervent  promises  of  amendment  or 
given  him  more  earnest  assurances  of  love.  But 
the  distrust  with  which  he  regarded  her  had  been 
growing  long  and  steadily,  and  was  deep-rooted. 
He  was  touched  at  the  moment  by  her  humility 
and  seeming  sincerity  ;  so  long  as  he  held  her 
hand  in  his,  and  looked  into  the  clear  depths  of 
her  golden-brown  eyes,  he  thought  that  his  love, 
which  had  waned  almost  to  extinction,  was 
revived.  When  he  left  her,  however,  the  impres- 
sion produced  by  her  presence  faded,  and  his 
doubts  returned  in  full  force.  And  with  them 
came  the  disgust  for  her  petulance  of  temper  and 
vacillation  of  purpose,  against  which  he  had  been 
struggling  for  weeks  past. 

As  he  walked  slowly  homeward  his  face  was 
very  grave.  He  admitted  to  himself  that  he  was 
disappointed  with  the  result  of  the  contest  just 
ended.  Instead  of  breaking  it  had  riveted  his 
chains. 

"  I  ought  not  to  have  been  so  hasty  at  first,"  he 
(140) 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  141 

said,  half  aloud,  as  he  sat  down  before  his  solitary 
hearth  that  evening — he  lived  alone — and  gazed 
with  a  troubled  air  at  the  leaping  flames  of  a 
bright  wood  fire. 

Many  an  evening,  not  long  passed  by,  he  had  sat 
in  the  same  place  with  musings  different  from  the 
gloomy  pictures  of  matrimonial  infelicity  which 
presented  themselves  to  his  imagination  now.  He 
remembered  this  after  a  while,  and  with  a  sudden 
revulsion  of  feeling,  or  perhaps  with  an  effort  to 
produce  a  revulsion  of  feeling,  rose  and  walked  to 
a  distant  corner  of  the  room,  and,  laying  his  hand 
on  a  large  chair  which  was  set  back  stiffly  against 
the  wall,  rolled  it  forward  to  one  corner  of  the 
fireplace — a  position  from  which  it  had  been  ban- 
ished shortly  before. 

The  room  was  furnished  richly,  but  in  dark  col- 
ors ;  this  chair  was  covered  in  pale  blue  satin. 

Taking  the  two  facts  together,  there  was  some 
excuse  for  the  shock  which  Southgate's  friend, 
Mr.  Brantford  Townsley,  received  when,  coming 
in  one  day,  he  saw  a  beautiful  blue  throne  shim- 
mering in  the  firelight  in  the  midst  of  the  dark- 
tinted  furniture  around. 

"  Why ! "  with  a  gasp  as  if  his  breath  had  been 
taken  away,  "  where  did  that  thing  come  from  ?  " 
he  exclaimed. 

He  was  a  man  of  culture,  a  man  of  hypercritic- 
ally  artistic  tastes.  He  started  dramatically  as  his 
eye  fell  upon  the  chair,  and  stood  on  the  edge  of 


142  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

the  hearth-rug  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  fire,  re- 
garding it  with  an  unaffected  stare  of  horror. 

"  It  came  from  Bowman's,"  replied  his  friend, 
laughing  at  the  expression  of  Mr.  Townsley's 
face. 

Bowman's  was  the  most  fashionable  furniture 
emporium  in  M . 

"  But  what  is  it  doing  here  ?  "  demanded  Mr. 
Townsley,  gazing  at  it  now  as  though  he  was 
afraid  of  it. 

"I  happened  to  notice  it  in  Bowman's  show- 
room the  other  day,"  answered  Southgate,  speak- 
ing gravely,  but  with  a  glitter  of  humor  in  his 
eye.  "  It  struck  me  that  it  would  be  ornamental, 
so  I  bought  it." 

"  Ornamental !  "  almost  shrieked  Mr.  Townsley 
in  Ruskin-like  tone.  "  My  dear  Southgate,  my 
poor  fellow,  are  you  color-blind  ?  " 

"No." 

"  You  must  be,  or  you  never  could  commit  such 
an  atrocity  in  taste  as  to  put  dark-green  and  sky- 
blue  in  juxtaposition  !  "  He  shuddered.  "  It  sets 
my  teeth  on  edge  to  look  at  that  color,"  pointing 
his  cane  scornfully  at  the  chair,  "  framed  in  such 
surroundings !  " 

"  A  little  learning — in  this  case,  culture — is  a 
misleading  thing,"  said  Southgate,  with  affected 
didacticism.  "  Now,  when  you  have  studied  the 
subject  of  harmony  in  contrast  as  exhaustively  as 
I  have,  Brant,  you  will  be  aware  that  the  most 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  143 

effective  of  all  combinations  are  obtained  by 
bringing  together — judiciously,  of  course  judi- 
ciously— the  most  violent  antipathies  in  color.  If 
you  don't  see  how  admirably  these  two  opposite 
tints  contrast  and  relieve  each  other,  why,  I  pity 
you.  You  are  a  Philistine  in  art." 

"  And  if  you  do  see  anything  but  the  most  nau- 
seating antagonism  between  them,  why,  I  pity  you 
still  more,"  retorted  Mr.  Townsley,  as  he  walked 
across  the  hearth-rug  and  established  himself  in 
the  chair  which  was  the  subject  of  dispute. 

"  Halt !  "  exclaimed  Southgate  hastily.  "  Va- 
cate there,  if  you  please,  my  good  fellow !  That 
fauteuilj  as  I  informed  you,  is  for  ornament,  not 
use." 

"  Excuse  me,  but  this  is  the  only  way  to  get  rid 
of  such  a  monstrous  offence  to  the  eye,"  answered 
his  friend  coolly,  sinking  into  the  soft  depths  he 
had  taken  possession  of  with  a  sigh  of  satisfac- 
tion. "  It  is  comfortable,"  he  remarked.  "  I  sup- 
pose you  mean  to  have  it  covered  with  green  to 
match  the  other  chairs." 

"  No ;  I  don't  want  it  to  match  the  other  chairs. 
I  intend  to  leave  it  as  it  is,"  Southgate  answered, 
looking,  as  indeed  he  felt,  slightly  annoj'ed. 

He  did  not  explain  to  Mr.  Townsley  that  when 
he  was  alone  his  fancy  summoned  a  fair  presence 
to  fill  it ;  and  that,  in  a  certain  sense,  the  very 
discordance  between  it  and  its  surroundings  was 
made  harmonious  to  him  by  the  fact  of  his  regard- 


144  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

ing  it  from  a  moral  instead  of  aesthetic  point  of 
view.  It  represented  to  him  the  grafting  of  Stel- 
la's life  upon  his  own.  He  could  see  her  graceful 
form  reclining  in  the  dainty  satin  nest,  her  superb 
chevelure  spread  out  in  rolling  waves  of  light  over 
the  tufted  sides.  He  recognized  how  exquisitely 
becoming  to  her  delicate  loveliness  was  the  silken 
sheen  and  soft  blue  tint  to  which  Mr.  Townsley 
so  vehemently  objected,  and  saw  the  flash  of  a 
diamond  on  a  white  and  dimpled  hand  as  it  was 
thrown  forward  upon  the  arm  of  the  chair. 

The  charming  wraith  came  and  sat  with  him 
every  evening,  talked  to  him,  smiled  on  him,  en- 
chanted him ! 

But  all  this  had  been  in  the  first  blush  of  his 
happiness  as  an  accepted  lover.  Day  by  day  the 
enchantment  diminished.  Soon  the  words  and 
glances  ceased  to  delight,  and  finally  they  began 
to  displease  him.  When  the  handsome  but  cyn- 
ical face  of  a  man  appeared  uninvited  bending 
over  the  back  of  the  chair,  whispering  inaudible 
flatteries  that  were  received  and  responded  to  by 
the  very  same  blushes  and  dimples  so  lately  his 
own,  the  chair  and  its  occupant  were  thrust  back 
into  a  corner  out  of  sight  and  as  much  as  possible 
out  of  mind. 

To-night,  sitting  and  looking  at  it,  he  endeav- 
ored without  success  to  bring  back  the  Stella  of 
six  weeks  ago.  The  Stella  of  to-day  came  readily 
enough,  but  did  not  come  alone.  The  dark,  hand- 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  145 

some  face  j>f  his  rival  was  persistently  beside 
hers. 

The  young  man  rose  and  pushed  the  chair 
away  again. 

"  What  imbecility  it  has  been  from  the  first ! " 
he  muttered,  returning  to  the  fire  and  setting 
himself  to  read  until  it  was  time  for  Midnight 
Mass,  to  which  Stella  had  promised  to  go  with 
him. 

The  volume  he  picked  up,  almost  at  random, 
interested  him  more  than  he  had  expected.  It 
was  with  a  little  surprise  that  he  suddenly  laid  it 
down  on  the  table  at  his  side  as  a  clock  in  an  ad- 
joining room  began  to  strike. 

"  Not  twelve,  surely !  "  he  thought  with  some 
apprehension,  taking  out  his  watch. 

No,  it  was  only  eleven  o'clock.  But  he  had 
told  Miss  Gordon,  he  remembered,  that  he  would 
be  with  her  early.  Aud  so  he  started  up  at  once. 

To  let  the  thoughts  dwell  on  a  harassing  sub- 
ject too  constantly  is  like  keeping  the  gaze  fixed 
too  steadily  and  for  too  great  a  length  of  time  on 
a  single  object.  In  both  cases  the  vision  becomes 
uncertain,  the  thing  looked  at  grows  blurred,  in- 
distinct, often  exaggerated  in  proportions.  Rest 
the  mind  and  the  eye,  and  the  power  to  see 
clearly  returns. 

The  two  hours  during  which  Southgate  had 
been  absorbed  in  his  book  had  refreshed  his  facul- 
ties. He  felt  more  cheerful  and  more  charitably 
10 


146  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

disposed  toward  Stella  when  he  left  the  house 
than  when  he  had  entered  it. 

Yet  some  doubt  still  haunted  him.  "  I  shall 
not  be  suprised  if  I  find  my  bird  flown  after  all ; 
nor  very  sorry  !  "  he  thought,  as  he  walked  along 
the  silent  streets  in  the  starlight.  The  moon, 
which  was  young,  had  gone  down  an  hour  before. 

But  he  was  surprised  when  this  half-fear,  half- 
hope  was  verified.  Stella  was  gone  to  the  ger- 
man. 

He  did  not  know  this  until  he  was  in  the  sit- 
ting-room, standing  beside  a  low,  clear  fire,  listen- 
ing to  hear  her  step  descending  the  stair.  There 
was  a  light  in  the  hall  when  he  entered,  and  his 
ring  had  been  answered  at  once  by  Stella's  maid, 
who  conducted  him  into  the  sitting-room  before 
she  said : 

"  Miss  Stella  told  me  to  be  sure  and  ask  you  in, 
Mr.  Southgate,  and  give  you  this  letter  and  these 
flowers,"  directing  his  attention  to  the  centre- 
table,  on  which  was  a  vase  of  hot-house  flowers. 
Amid  the  leaves  and  blossoms  a  letter  was  stand- 
ing conspicuously  up. 

The  young  man  looked  at  it  for  an  instant  with- 
out touching  it. 

"Then  Miss  Gordon  has  gone  to — into  the 
country  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  girl,  with  the  air  of  a 
culprit ;  for  she  understood  very  well  the  state  of 
affairs,  and  was  a  firm  partisan  of  Southgate's. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  147 

The  light  was  shaded  so  that  she  could  not  see 
his  face  distinctly,  but  the  tone  of  his  voice 
frightened  her,  it  sounded  so  steru.  She  has- 
tened, therefore,  to  add  apologetically: 

"  Miss  Stella  didn't  want  to  go  at  all,  but — you 
are  leaving  these,  Mr.  Southgate  !  "  she  inter- 
rupted her  explanation  to  exclaim,  in  a  startled 
manner,  as  that  gentleman  was  moving  toward 
the  door.  She  snatched  up  the  vase  and  followed 
precipitately.  "  Here  is  your  letter,  and  the 
flowers." 

He  turned  and  took  the  letter  with  undisguised 
reluctance,  unbuttoned  his  coat,  and  put  it  un- 
opened into  his  pocket ;  but  shook  his  head  as  the 
maid  extended  the  flowers. 

"  Thank  you,  no,"  he  said.  "  I  will  not  de- 
prive Miss  Gordon  of  them." 

But  he  walked  back  into  the  room,  and  she 
again  followed  him,  inquiring  with  evident  un- 
easiness :  "  Won't  you  leave  a  message  for  Miss 
Stella,  sir — a  note  ?  " 

He  saw  that  there  were  writing  materials  on 
the  table,  placed  there  no  doubt,  for  his  use. 

"  I  have  no  message,"  he  answered ;  and  the 
girl  now  perceived  that  he  had  come  back  to  lay 
a  piece  of  money  on  the  table,  both  her  hands 
being  occupied  with  the  vase  which  she  was  still 
holding  entreatingly  toward  him. 

"  You  have  been  sitting  up  waiting  for  me,  I 
suppose,  Louise,"  he  said.  "  You  must  be  tired." 


148  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

He  pointed  to  the  silver  he  had  just  put  down, 
with  a  kindly  smile  wished  her  good-night,  and 
the  next  moment  the  hall-door  had  closed  on  his 
exit. 

"Thank  God,  I  am  free  !  "  was  the  first  definite 
thought  in  his  mind  when  he  found  himself  out 
under  the  stars  again,  striding  rapidly  away  from 
Stella  Gordon's  home.  A  wave  of  almost  fierce 
passion  stirred  his  heart  for  a  moment  as  a  vision 
of  the  girl  he  had  regarded  as  his  future  wife  rose 
before  him,  radiant  in  beauty,  dancing  the  ger- 
man. 

But  his  wrath  passed  as  quickly  as  it  came. 
The  last  lingering  shade  of  respect  for  Stella  was 
swept  away  in  the  bitter  contempt  which  followed 
his  first  feeling  of  anger ;  and  before  he  reached 
the  church — whither  he  had  mechanically  directed 
his  steps  on  leaving  Mr.  Gordon's  house — indif- 
ference had  taken  the  place  of  contempt.  He 
left  the  very  recollection  of  her  outside  the  door. 
Only  as  he  knelt  before  the  altar,  which  was  a 
blazing  pyramid  of  lights  and  bowers,  there  was 
something  of  individual  consciousness  in  the  fer- 
vor with  which  his  heart  responded  to  the  canti- 
cles of  joy  and  thanksgiving  in  which  the  church 
celebrates  the  anniversary  dawn  of  salvation  to 
the  world. 

"I  am  free!  "  was  his  first  waking  thought  the 
,aext  morning,  and  almost  his  first  act  after  dress- 
ing was  to  write  a  note,  which  he  gave  to  his 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  149 

servant  with  strict  orders  that  it  was  to  be  taken 
to  Mrs.  Gordon's  during  the  course  of  the  morn- 
ing. Then,  with  the  reflection,  "I  will  conclude 
the  affair  to-morrow,"  he  dismissed  all  recollection 
of  his  ill-fated  engagement  from  his  mind. 

As  he  sat  at  breakfast  the  day  after,  he  took 
Stella's  letter  from  the  pocket  in  which  it  had 
been  reposing  undisturbed  ever  since  he  had 
thrust  it  there  two  nights  before,  and  set  himself 
to  read  it,  sighing  impatiently  as  he  drew  the  en- 
closure from  the  envelope  and  saw  how  long  it 
was.  There  were  two  sheets  of  note-paper,  al- 
most covered. 

As  a  matter  of  form  he  compelled  hr^3elf  to 
wade,  or  rather  stumble,  through  the  pages ;  but 
if  Stella  had  seen  the  stern  brow  and  cold  com- 
posure with  which  he  performed  this  task  she 
would  have  known  that  she  might  have  spared  her 

excuses. 

« 

"  Do  not  be  very  angry  with  me,  dearest— pray  do 
not!"  she  wrote  in  her  huge,  fashionable  scrawl. 
"  Indeed  I  would  not  go  to  this  hateful  affair  if  I  could 
help  myself.  But  mamma  was  furious,  absolutely  fu- 
rious, with  me  after  you  left,  and  has  commanded  me  to 
go.  She  says  that,  after  having  proposed  the  party 
myself  and  promised  to  go,  it  would  be  shamefully  in- 
excusable to  stay  away ;  and  she  is  sure  when  every- 
thing is  explained  to  you  that  you  will  be  reasonable 
enough  to  acknowledge  that  I  could  not  draw  back. 
It  will  be  no  pleasure  to  me  to  go,  I  assure  you,  dar- 
ling. I  shall  be  thinking  of  you  all  the  time,  and  I 
fully  mean  all  that  I  promised  this  afternoon.  And  i 


160  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

promise  you  solemnly  that  I  will  not  dance  once  to- 
night. O  darling!  if  you  knew  how  unhappy  I  am  in 
being  obliged  to  pain  you  once  more  when  I  had  so 
fully  intended  never  to  do  so  again,  you  would  not  be 
hard  on  me  for  what  I  can't  help.  Be  generous  and 
once  more  forgive  "Your  own 

"STELLA." 

On  the  outside  page  of  the  last  sheet  were  a  few 
lines,  which,  after  some  study,  he  conscientiously 
deciphered : 

"  I  leave  my  flowers  that  Bessie  Curtis  gave  me  to 
wear  this  evening.  Take  them,  vase  and  all,  dearest, 
and  if  you  don't  want  them  yourself  put  them  on  Our 
Lady's  altar.  O  Edward!  do  write  one  line  (I  leave 
my  portfolio  on  the  sitting-room  table)  just  to  say  that 
you  are  not  very  angry." 

Southgate  smiled  contemptuously  at  the  last 
words. 

"  I  am  not  angry  at  all,"  he  said  aloud.  "  But 
*  the  spell  'is  broke,  the  charm  is  flown  ' — this 
time  for  ever." 

Folding  the  sheets,  he  replaced  them  in  the  en- 
velope and  tossed  them  carelessly  into  the  fire. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"I  LOVE  pleasure — oh!  I  do  love  pleasure," 
Stella  had  said  more  than  once  to  her  lover  in 
extenuation  of  her  addiction  to  flirting  and  danc- 
ing the  german — which  last  offence  by  the  way, 
ranked  as  a  greater  enormity  in  his  opinion  that 
the  first  even. 

"  Yes,  I  think  you  love  it  better  than  anything 
else  in  the  world,"  he  replied  during  their  conver- 
sation on  Christmas  eve. 

"  No,  I  do  not  love  it  as  much  as  I  love — you !  " 
she  answered. 

And  she  had  spoken  the  truth.  Notwithstand- 
ing her  attachment  to  pleasure  and  the  german,  it 
was  with  very  great  difficulty  that  she  was  pre- 
vailed upon  to  go  to  Mr.  Gartrell's  party. 

At  first  she  absolutely  refused  to  go  ;  but  when 
her  usually  indulgent  mother  became  seriously 
angry  and  spoke  with  parental  authority  she 
knew  not  how  to  resist.  Naturally  of  a  yielding 
temper,  that  had  been  made  wilful  and  obstinate 
only  by  unlimited  indulgence,  she  was  intimidated 
by  a  violence  so  new  to  her. 

Even  now,  however,  she  did  not  yield  the  point 
without  a  struggle.  She  argued,  she  entreated, 
she  even  came  to  tears,  imploring  her  mother  not 

(151) 


152  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

to  compel  her  to  do  what  she  knew  Southgate 
would  not  easily  forgive.  But  Mrs.  Gordon,  who, 
ever  since  the  hope  of  securing  Gartrell  as  a  sori- 
in-law  first  dawned  on  her  imagination  as  within 
the  limits  of  the  possible,  had  been  extremely 
anxious  to  break  the  engagement  with  Southgate, 
was  inflexibly  resolved  not  to  permit  such  an  op- 
portunity as  this  to  pass  without  using  it.  She 
interrupted  Stella's  pleadings  by  telling  her,  in  a 
tone  not  to  be  disobeyed,  to  go  and  dress,  as  the 
carriage  was  already  at  the  gate. 

The  latter,  thus  constrained,  made  a  hasty  and 
careless  toilette,  and  then,  with  swollen  eyes  and 
heaving  breast,  wrote  the  letter  which  received 
such  contemptuous  treatment. 

Seated  beside  her  mother  in  the  carriage,  she 
threw  herself  back  in  her  corner,  and  without  lis- 
tening to  the  remarks  on  indifferent  subjects 
which  Mrs.  Gordon  volunteered,  or  pretending  to 
reply  to  them,  began  to  think  of  Southgate  and 
of  what  he  would  think  when  he  called  for  her  at 
midnight  and  heard  that  she  was  gone. 

"  O  mamma !  "  she  cried,  suddenly  bursting  in- 
to tears  again  and  sobbing  convulsively,  "  do  let 
me  return  home.  We  are  not  more  than  a  mile 
from  town,  and  it  is  very  early  yet.  Do  drive 
back  and  set  me  down  !  " 

"  Is  it  worth  while  to  talk  so  nonsensically  ?  " 
asked  her  mother  coldly. 

"  My  head  aches  as  if  it  would  burst.     I  feel 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  153 

really  ill,"  sobbed  Stella.  "  I  am  sure  this  is  a 
sufficient  excuse  for  my  not  going  on,  particularly 
as  you  can  say  that  I  started  and  had  to  turn 
back." 

To  this  argument  her  mother  deigned  no  reply. 

"  Mamma,  I  never  thought  you  could  be  so 
cruel,"  cried  the  poor  child,  indignation  and  dis- 
tress together  making  her  almost  hysterical.  "  You 
do  not  seem  to  care  how  much  I  suffer." 

"  Stop  crying,  and  your  head  will  stop  aching," 
was  the  frigid  reply. 

"  But  I  am  thinking  of  Edward,"  Stella  ex- 
claimed passionately.  "  What  will  he  say  ?  He 
will  believe  that  I  am  altogether  unworthy  of  his 
love  and  trust.  He  will  give  me  up  in  despair." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  said  Mrs.  Gordon  com- 
placently. "Mr.  Gartrell  is  much  the  better 
match  of  the  two,  and  I  am  confident  that  the 
moment  he  knows  your  engagement  is  off  he  will 
propose  for  you." 

For  an  instant  Stella  could  not  utter  an  articu- 
late sound.  Her  blood  tingled  in  her  veins,  and 
there  was  an  aching  lump  in  her  throat  that  she 
strove  in  vain  to  swallow. 

"  Mamma,"  she  exclaimed  at  last  in  a  choking 
voice,  "  do  you  mean  that  you  have  deliberately 
counted  on  the  breaking  off  of  my  engage- 
ment?" 

"  I  have  foreseen  for  some  time  that  it  must 
come  to  an  end,"  was  the  reply  in  a  cold,  matter- 


154  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

of-course  tone.  "  Considering  how  you  have 
been  acting  during  the  last  month,  I  am  only  sur- 
prised that  Mr.  Southgate  has  not  asked  you  he- 
fore  now  to  release  him." 

"  And  you  never  uttered  one  word  of  reproof 
or  warning,  and  you  said  distinctly  that  you  were 
sure  Edward  was  too  reasonable  to  resent  my  at- 
tending this  party." 

"He  has  been  so  very  '  reasonable  '  in  overlook- 
ing what,  in  his  place, /should have  considered 
inexcusable  conduct  on  your  part  that  I  may  be 
pardoned  for  presuming  his  powers  of  forbearance 
to  be  unlimited,"  answered  Mrs.  Gordon  sarcastic- 
ally. "As  for  interfering  myself,  I  have  more 
regard  for  your  best  interests  than  to  do  anything 
which  would  prevent  your  ridding  yourself  of  an 
entanglement  which  you  may  replace  to-morrow 
by  so  much  more  advantageous  a  connection." 

"  O  mother !  "  cried  Stella,  in  such  a  tone  of  re- 
proach and  despair  that  Mrs.  Gordon  for  a  mo- 
ment half  regretted  having  compelled  her  to  take 
a  step  which  that  lady  believed  would  certainly 
separate  her  from  her  lover.  But  the  regret  was 
only  momentary.  When  the  girl  once  more  im- 
plored passionately  to  be  allowed  to  return  home 
her  mother  answered  authoritatively : 

"  Don't  repeat  that  ridiculous  proposal  again, 
Stella,  but  dry  your  eyes  and  act  like  a  rational  be- 
ing instead  of  playing  the  spoiled  child." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Stella  bitterly.     "  I  have 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  155 

been  playing  the  spoiled  child  all  my  life  ;  but  I 
have  done  with  the  role  from  henceforth,  I  prom- 
ise you." 

She  sat  up  in  her  seat,  and  by  the  faint  moon- 
Kght  her  mother  could  see  that  she  was  drying  her 
eyes  and  arranging  her  dress,  after  doing  which 
6he  leaned  back  once  more  and  did  not  speak  or 
move  again  until  they  drew  up  before  a  flight  of 
steps  over  which  a  broad  light  was  streaming  from 
the  brilliantly  illuminated  hall  at  Lauderdale,  and 
Mr.  Gartrell  opened  the  carriage-door  himself  and 
assisted  her  to  alight. 

"Thank  you,"  she  said  simply  in  reply  to  his 
impressive  welcome. 

Her  tone  and  manner  were  so  spiritless  that  he 
paused  involuntarily  as  he  was  about  to  turn  and 
extend  his  hand  to  Mrs.  Gordon,  who  was  still  in 
the  carriage,  and  looked  inquiringly  at  her. 

"  I  hope  you  are  well  ?  "  he  asked,  noticing  how 
pale  she  was. 

"  No,"  she  answered  quietly.  "  I  am  suffering 
with  the  worst  headache  I  ever  remember  to  have 
had  in  my  life.  Indeed,"  to  Mrs.  Gordon's  great 
vexation  she  added,  "  but  for  mamma  I  should  not 
be  here.  I  tried  several  times  to  persuade  her  to 
turn  back  and  leave  me  at  home,  but  she  insisted 
on  my  coming." 

"  The  crisis ! "  thought  Mr.  Gartrell  jubilantly. 

He  expressed  his  regret  with  evident  sincerity 
at  hearing  of  her  indisposition,  as  he  conducted 


156  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

her  mother  and  herself  into  the  house,  and  was 
most  solicitous  to  secure  her  comfort  in  every  way. 
But  he  did  not  press  any  marked  attentions  upon 
her.  One  glance  at  her  face  had  informed  him, 
almost  as  clearly  as  words  could  have  done,  that 
there  was  or  would  be  a  rupture  with  her  be- 
trothed as  the  result  of  her  presence  here  to-night. 
He  was  satisfied  with  this  knowledge,  and  had  too 
much  sense  to  risk  injuring  the  prospect  of  suc- 
cess which  seemed  opening  before  him  by  injudi- 
cious haste  in  obtruding  his  suit.  To  do  him  jus- 
tice, he  had  also  too  much  good-nature  to  feel  in- 
clined to  inflict  the  least  degree  of  additional  pain 
on  her  when  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen  that  she  was 
already  suffering  very  much.  There  was  in  her 
eyes  an  expression  of  anxiety  and  preoccupation 
of  mind  strangely  out  of  place  in  a  ball-room — so 
strangely  out  of  place  that  early  in  the  evening  he 
suggested  to  her  mother  that  he  feared  Miss  Gor- 
don ought  to  retire,  she  looked  so  really  ill ;  and 
Mrs.  Gordon,  whose  ambition  by  no  means  stifled 
natural  feeling  as  yet,  went  to  Stella  and  urged 
her  to  go  to  bed. 

She  declined  to  do  so. 

"  I  could  not  sleep,  and  it  would  be  more  tire- 
some lying  awake  all  alone  than  staying  here," 
she  answered  coldly. 

"But  I  am  afraid  you  are  suffering  very  much, 
you  are  so  pale,"  said  her  mother. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  157 

"  I  feel  ill,"  she  replied  in  the  same  tone  as  be- 
fore, "  but  I  suppose  I  shall  be  well  to-morrow." 

The  evening  was  very  long  and  wearying  to 
her.  Instead  of  joining  in  the  wild  whirl  of  the 
german,  as  Southgate's  imagination  pictured  her, 
she  sat  quiet  and  languid  by  the  fire,  with  that 
forced  expression  of  amiability  on  her  face  which 
is  so  often  the  most  transparent  mask  put  on  to 
conceal  ennui. 

"  You  poor  child,  I  see  that  you  are  bored  to 
death  !  "  exclaimed  her  friend  Bessie  Curtis,  com- 
ing to  her  side  shortly  before  twelve  o'clock  and 
regarding  with  half-comic  pity  her  conscientious 
efforts  to  talk  to  and  seem  amused  by  a  heavy 
gentleman  who  "  never  waltzed  "  and  was  exceed- 
ingly anxious  to  please.  "  Come  and  go  up-stairs 
with  me !  You  have  been  acting  martyr  long 
enough." 

Stella  smiled  more  brightly  than  she  had  before 
during  the  whole  evening,  and  rose  readily. 

"  I  am  tired,"  she  said,  "  and  my  head  aches 
distractingly.  So  tired !  "  she  continued  a  mo- 
ment later  when  her  friend  and  herself  were 
seated  beside  a  glowing  fire  in  the  pleasant  cham- 
ber that  had  been  assigned  to  them.  "  Every 
clash  of  that  band  went  through  and  through  my 
brain,  it  seemed  to  me.  I  don't  think  I  shall  ever 
want  to  hear  a  Strauss  waltz  again." 

"  Oh !  yes,  you  will,"  said  Miss  Curtis, laughing 


158  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

— "tomorrow  night,  perhaps.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  your  head  will  be  well  by  that  time." 

"  My  head  is  not  the  worst  of  it,  "  said  Stella  ; 
and,  time  and  place  being  propitious  for  con- 
fidence,  she  poured  out  a  recital  of  her  wrongs, 
the  root  of  her  headache — her  lover's  insistance 
that  she  should  not  come  to  this  party,  and  her 
mother's  insistance  that  she  should.  "I  know 
Edward  is  going  to  be  very,  very  angry.  Yet  it 
is  not  my  fault  that  I  came,"  she  concluded. 

"  You  can  tell  him  so,"  said  her  friend  consol- 
ingly. "And  now  do  go  to  bed.  You  look 
wretched — for  you." 

"  I  feel  horrible,"LStella  answered,  and  followed 
the  advice  offered. 

But  it  was  not  so  easy  to  comply  with  the 
exhortation  to  go  to  sleep  with  which  Miss  Curtis 
left  her  shortly  afterwards.  Southgate's  face,  as  it 
had  looked  that  afternoon,  stern  and  resolved, 
with  a  gleam  of  scorn  in  the  clear  gray  eyes,  was 
persistently  before  her. 

"  He  knows  by  this  time  that  I  am  here,"  she 
said  half-aloud,  pressing  her  hands  to  her  aching 
temples.  "  He  has  a  right  to  be  angry  and  to 
scorn  me.  I  wonder  if  he  is  thinking  of  me  now ! 
No,"  as  a  clock  down -stairs  struck  twelve,  "he  is 
not,  I  am  sure.  He  is  at  Midnight  Mass." 

On  that  thought  she  paused,  and  a  different 
picture  of  Southgate's  countenance  replaced  the 
one  that  had  been  haunting  her  all  the  evening. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  159 

This  was  a  gentle  and  reverent  face  that  she  saw 
gazing  at  the  altar  before  which  she  knew  he  was 
now  kneeling. 

"I  wish,  how  I  wish,  that  I  was  there  with 
him  !  "  she  exclaimed  under  her  breath.  "•  Ah  I 
if  he  will  but  forgive  me  this  one  time  more  I  will 
try  and  learn  to  be  good  and  devout,  as  he  is." 

She  went  to  sleep  after  a  while,  and  woke  the 
next  morning  feverishly  impatient  to  get  back  to 
town  in  order  to  see  her  lover  and  justify  her 
conduct  to  him.  But  there  was  breakfast  and  a 
long  delay  to  be  endured  before  the  moment  of 
relief  which  saw  her  seated  in  the  carriage  and 
driving  away  from  Lauderdale.  It  was  almost 
noon  when  they  reached  home. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SOUTHGATE'S  servant  was  coming  out  of  the 
gate  as  they  drove  up  to  it. 

"  You  brought  a  note  for  me,  Willis  ?  "  Stella 
said  eagerly,  leaning  out  of  the  carriage-window 
to  speak  to  the  man. 

"  Yes'm,"  was  the  reply. 

With  a  light  heart  she  hurried  into  the  house, 
to  find  the  note  addressed  not  to  herself  but  to 
Mrs.  Gordon,  and  to  see  that  the  vase  of  flowers 
she  had  left  for  Southgate  was  still  on  the  table 
where  she  had  placed  it. 

She  met  her  mother  and  offered  her  the  note  as 
the  latter  was  entering  the  hall. 

"  You  can  read  it,"  said  the  lady,  recognizing 
the  writing. 

Stella  opened  it  and  glanced  at  a  few  formal 
words  in  which  the  writer  excused  himself  from 
dining  with  Mrs.  Gordon  that  day,  "as  he  had 
expected  to  have  the  honor  of  doing." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Gordon  a  little 
sharply,  and  yet  sorry  for  the  distress  visible  in 
her  daughter's  face. 

"  It  is  an  apology.  Mr.  Southgate  is  not  com- 
ing to  dinner,"  answered  Stella  coldly. 

Laying  the  note  down  on  the  hall -table,  she 
(160) 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  161 

went  to  her  own  room,  summoned  her  maid,  and 
heard  a  detailed  account  of  Southgate's  visit  of 
the  night  before. 

He  had  received  her  letter  unwillingly,  and  had 
put  it  into  his  pocket  unopened ;  he  had  refused  to 
take  the  flowers  ;  he  "  had  no  message"  for  her  ! 

That  was  the  cheering  information  obtained  by 
a  very  strict  cross-examination  of  Louise.  The 
prospect  before  her  was  not  encouraging.  She 
could  not  write  to  him  again.  What  should  she 
do  ?  she  asked  herself. 

Just  at  the  moment  she  could  do  nothing  ;  but 
in  the  afternoon  she  went  to  Vespers,  hoping  she 
might  there  meet  her  recusant  lover. 

She  saw  him  at  once  on  entering  the  church, 
his  pew  being  near  her  own  ;  and  all  through 
Vespers,  and  even  as  she  knelt  at  Benediction, 
she  was  considering  how  she  could  attract  his 
attention,  and  waiting  with  palpitating  heart  for 
the  moment  of  leaving  the  church. 

That  moment  came  and  went  without  his  glanc- 
ing once  in  her  direction. 

With  heavy  heart  she  returned  home,  and  the 
rest  of  the  day — which  ended  with  a  large 
Christmas-party — dragged  through  more  wearily 
than  ever  day  had  for  her  before. 

She   even    could   not  sleep  when  at  last,  long 
after  midnight,   she   laid  her  tired  head  on  the 
pillow.     But  when  finally  she  did  lose  conscious- 
ness her  slumber  was  deep  and  long. 
11 


162  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"Mr.  Southgate  is  down-stairs,  Miss  Stella," 
was  the  announcement  with  which  Louise  awoke 
her  the  next  morning. 

"  What  did  you  say  ?  "  she  exclaimed,  starting 
up  and  looking  a  little  bewildered. 

The  maid  repeated  what  she  had  said,  and 
added : 

"  I  saw  him  coming  up  the  walk  a  minute  ago 
and  thought  I  had  better  wake  you." 

"  Mr.  Southgate  here  this  time  in  the  morning !  " 
cried  the  young  lady  in  amazement  as  she  sprang 
out  of  bed. 

"  Oh !  it's  not  so  very  early,"  said  the  maid. 
"  Breakfast  is  over,  but — " 

"  Breakfast  over,  and  you  did  not  wake  me  !  " 

"You  know  you  always  tell  me  not  to  disturb 
you  early  when  you  have  been  up  the  night  be- 
fore," was  the  answer. 

A  truth  which  Stella  could  not  deny.  There- 
fore she  made  no  rejoinder,  but  with  Louise's  as- 
sistance dressed  as  rapidly  as  she  could. 

"  Did  you  tell  Mr.  Southgate  that  I  would  be 
down  directly  ?  "  she  asked. 

"No'm;  I  didn't  speak  to  him.  I  only  caught 
a  glimpse  of  him,  and  came  straight  to  tell  you." 

A  few  minutes  afterwards  Stella  ran  lightly 
down-stairs  and  with  sparkling  face  opened  the 
sitting-room  door.  To  her  surprise  the  room  was 
empty.  She  went  to  the  drawing-room,  but  that 
too  was  vacant ;  and,  on  inquiring  of  the  servant 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  163 

who  liad  seen  Mr.  Southgate,  was  told  that  he  had 
asked  for  Mr.  Gordon,  not  herself,  and,  learning 
that  Mr.  Gordon  was  really  gone  to  his  office,  had 
declined  to  come  in. 

Sick  to  the  soul  with  disappointment  and  an 
intuition  of  coming  evil,  she  returned  to  her  own 
room  and  waited  for  what  was  to  come. 

She  did  not  have  to  wait  long,  though  the  time 
seemed  long  to  her.  In  less  than  half  an  hour 
she  received  a  message  from  her  father.  He  wished 
to  see  her. 

He  was  standing  on  the  hearth  with  his  back 
to  the  fire  when  she  entered  the  sitting-room  in 
answer  to  his  summons,  and  greeted  her  by  a  \eiy 
slight  "  Good-morning."  For  the  first  time  that 
she  remembered  he  had  no  smile  for  her ;  his  face 
was  grave,  almost  stern. 

When  she  was  seated  and  looked  up  question- 
ingly  he  said  abruptly : 

"  Southgate  has  just  been  with  me  to  request 
to  be  released  from  the  engagement  of  marriage 
which  existed  between  him  and  yourself." 

She  was  not  surprised.  It  was  what  she  ex- 
pected. The  color  ebbed  from  her  face,  and  her 
hands  clasped  each  other  convulsively ;  but  she 
had  prepared  herself,  and  managed  to  present  an 
appearance  of  calmness,  though  she  could  not  com- 
mand the  power  of  speech. 

After  a  momentary  pause  her  father  continued : 

"  He  says  that  almost  from  the  first  you  have 


164  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

acted  in  a  manner  which  has  gradually  led  him  to 
the  belief  that  you  were  mistaken  in  imagining 
you  were  attached  to  him.  He  is  inclined  to  think 
that  you  discovered  this  and  wished  to  get  out  of 
the  affair,  yet  did  not  like  to  move  first,  and  con- 
sequently have  so  conducted  yourself  as  to  force 
him  to  move.  Believing  that,  under  these  cir- 
cumgtances,  it  would  not  be  for  the  happiness  of 
either  of  you  to  marry,  he  asks  that  the  engage- 
ment be  dissolved  by  mutual  consent,  though  he 
leaves  you  at  liberty  to  say  that  you  rejected 
him. 

"  I  have  repeated  substantially  his  own  words  ; 
now  I  want  to  know  the  meaning  of  it  all.  He 
is  not  a  man  to  be  either  untruthful  or  unreason- 
able ;  therefore  I  presume  that  his  taking  this  step 
is  justifiable  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Stella  in  a  quivering  voice. 

"  I  am  to  understand,  then,"  said  Mr.  Gordon, 
"  that  you  did  want  to  rid  yourself  of  the  en- 
gagement, and  took  this  unworthy  way  to  do 
it?" 

"  No,"  she  replied  emphatically,  lifting  her  eyes 
and  meeting  his  frowning  gaze  unflinchingly.  "  I 
have  acted  very  badly,  I  confess,  though  I  did 
not  mean  to  do  so — it  was  all  my  miserable  folly 
— but  I  never  for  a  moment  wished  to  break  the 
engagement." 

"  Then  why  did  you  leave  that  impression  on 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  165 

Southgate's  mind  ?  "  he  demanded, with  increasing 
irritation. 

Partly  the  tone  in  which  the  question  was  asked 
— so  different  from  her  father's  usual  caressing 
manner — and  partly  the  sense  which  grew  mo- 
mently more  clear  to  her  apprehension  and  more 
bitter  to  her  heart  that  Southgate  was  lost  to  her 
for  ever,  overcame  the  composure  she  was  strug- 
gling to  maintain.  To  Mr.  Gordon's  equal  an- 
noyance and  consternation  she  burst  into  tears, 
and,  covering  her  face  with  her  handkerchief, 
sobbed  unrestrainedly. 

While  he  was  essaying  some  blundering  at- 
tempts at  consolation,  half  reproving,  half  sooth- 
ing her  distress,  the  door  opened  and  his  wife  en- 
tered the  room.  He  had  been  informed,  when  he 
came  home  and  wished  to  see  her  before  he  spoke 
to  Stella,  that  she  was  dressing  to  go  out,  and  she 
appeared  now  in  carriage  costume.  Pausing  just 
within  the  threshold,  she  said : 

"  Did  you  want  to  see  me,  Roland  ?  "  Then, 
observing  the  disturbance  of  his  countenance  and 
the  tears  of  her  daughter,  she  advanced  a  step  and 
asked :  "  What  is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  The  matter  is  that  your  kind  efforts  to  break 
my  engagement  and  ruin  the  happiness  of  my  life 
have  succeeded,  mamma!"  cried  Stella,  springing 
to  her  feet  and  confronting  her  mother  with  flash- 
ing eyes  from  which  tears  were  pouring  in  streams. 

"I  told  you,"  she  went  on  passionately,  "that 


166  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

Edward  would  not  forgive  another  breach  of 
faith  on  my  part !  I  implored  you  not  to  compel 
me  to  go  to  that  detestable — 

"Stella!"  interrupted  her  father  sternly, "rec- 
ollect yourself.  How  dare  you  speak  in  such  a 
tone  as  that  to  your  mother?" 

"  You  don't  know,  papa,  how  cruelly  she  has 
treated  me  !  It  is  her  fault,  not  mine,  that  my  en- 
gagement is  broken  off !  I — " 

She  stopped,  her  voice  choked  in  tears,  and 
Mr.  Gordon  looked  inquiringly  to  his  wife  for  an 
explanation  of  the  accusation  just  made. 

Mrs.  Gordon  was  buttoning  her  gloves —  an  oc- 
cupation which  she  chose  at  the  moment  as  well 
to  prevent  the  exultation  she  felt  at  hearing  of 
the  success  of  her  schemes  from  betraying  itself 
in  her  eyes  as  to  conceal  some  slight  confusion 
which,  notwithstanding  her  complacency,  she 
could  not  entirely  control.  Not  succeeding  in 
meeting  her  eye,  her  husband  was  obliged  to  put 
his  question  into  words. 

"  What  is  this  trouble  between  Stella  and  South- 
gate  about?  "  he  asked,  "and  what  does  she  mean 
by  saying  that  it  is  your  fault  ?  " 

"  Stella,  though  engaged  to  one  man,  has  been 
flirting  with  another  for  a  month  past,  to  which 
conduct  Mr.  Southgate  naturally  objects,"  an- 
swered Mrs.  Gordon  drily.  "  As  to  her  assertion 
that  I  had  anything  to  do  with  the  breaking  of  the 
engagement,  that  is  nonsense.  I  insisted  on  her 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  167 

going  to  a  party  on  Christmas  eve  which  was 
given  to  please  her  and  at  her  special  request. 
After  asking  Mr.  Gartrell  to  give  the  party,  and 
promising  again  and  again  that  she  would  go,  she 
wished  to  draw  back  at  the  last  moment.  This 
would  have  been  such  unpardonable  rudeness  that 
I  would  not  permit  it." 

"  I  am  astonished  that  you  suffered  her  to  act 
so  improperly  in  the  first  place,"  said  Mr.  Gordon 
in  a  tone  of  displeasure.  "  Why  did  you  permit 
her  to  flirt,  as  you  call  it,  and  to  be  on  such  fa- 
miliar terms  with  a  man  like  Gartrell  as  to  be 
asking  him  to  give  parties?  If  she  wanted  a  party 
could  not  you  have  given  it?" 

"Why  did  I  'permit'  her  to  flirt  with  Mr. 
Gartrell  and  propose  his  giving  a  ball  at  Lauder- 
dale  ?  "  repeated  Mrs.  Gordon  quietly.  "  Really, 
if  you  imagine  that  Stella  ever  waits  for  permis- 
sion to  do  anything  she  chooses  to  do  you  know 
very  little  about  her  character." 

Mr.  Gordon  turned  round  sharply  where  he 
stood,  and,  taking  up  the  tongs,  punched  the  fire 
vigorously  for  a  moment  or  two.  Then  he  took 
several  turns  up  and  down  the  room,  glancing  at 
his  daughter  to  see  whether  she  had  any  further 
plea  to  enter  in  her  defence.  But  she  could  not 
deny  the  truth  of  a  word  her  mother  had  uttered, 
and  did  not  attempt  to  do  so.  "  Well,"  he  said  at 
last  very  drily,  "  so  far  as  I  can  see,  there  is  nothing 
more  to  be  done  in  the  matter." 


168  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"Nothing,  except  to  return  Mr.  Southgate's 
ring,"  said  Mrs.  Gordon  in  a  matter-of-course 
tone.  "  You  had  better  do  so  at  once,  Stella  " 

With  which  parting  advice  she  went  on  her  way 
rejoicing. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MB.  GORDON  was  a  man  of  easy  temper  and, 
morally  speaking,  indolent  nature.  He  would  not 
have  been  guilty  of  a  dishonorable  act  for  any 
earthly  consideration;  nothing  would  have  in- 
duced him  to  commit  a  wilful  fault  even.  But 
as  to  sins  of  omission  his  conscience  was  as  easy 
as  his  temper.  He  was  fond  of  his  wife  and 
daughter,  and  the  sole  principle  of  his  life  with 
regard  to  them  was  unlimited  indulgence. 

Naturally  they  accepted  this  rule  kindly ;  and 
thus  far  it  had  answered  very  well,  giving  him 
what  he  desired — a  quiet  and  harmonious  life. 
Stella  was  badly  spoiled,  it  is  true  ;  but  her  whims 
and  caprices  did  not  come  much  within  his  cog- 
nizance, and,  consequently,  it  had  never  occurred 
to  him  that  he  was  called  upon  to  notice  or  cor- 
rect them. 

Mrs.  Gordon  was  phlegmatically  amiable.  She 
had  all  she  wanted  in  the  world,  and  nothing  to 
speak  of  that  she  did  not  want.  Though  pro- 
foundly selfish,  she  was  not  disposed  to  be  un- 
reasonable or  to  make  herself  disagreeable  to 
anybody  about  trifles.  And  everything  which  did 
not  conflict  with  her  own  comfort  or  wishes  was 
a  trifle  in  her  eyes.  When  Stella  accepted  South- 

(169) 


170  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

gate  she  accepted  him  also  willingly  enough.  She 
thought  at  the  time  that  he  would  fill  the  position 
as  well  or  better  than  any  other  young  gentle- 
man of  her  acquaintance,  and  rather  liked  him 
personally. 

But  at  Gartrell's  appearance  upon  the  scene, 
and  as  soon  as  his  manner  made  it  evident  that 
with  the  slightest  encouragement  he  would  be  a 
suitor  for  Stella's  hand,  dormant  ambition  awoke 
in  her  soul.  Here  was  the  man  for  Stella  to  have 
married.  Still,  while  lamenting  secretly  the  ill- 
chance  which,  in  the  person  of  Southgate,  had 
come  between  her  daughter  and  this  distinguished 
and  desirable  parti,  it  was  some  time  before  the 
idea  entered  her  mind  that,  though  engaged, 
Stella  was  not  yet  married,  and  that  to  give  up 
one  engagement  and  form  another  was  not  a  thing 
impossible. 

Perhaps  such  an  idea  never  would  have  entered 
her  mind  but  for  Stella's  own  conduct.  Having 
obtained  entrance,  however,  it  remained. 

A  person  of  phlegmatic  temperament  is,  accord- 
ing to  physiological  science,  capable  of  energetic 
effort  if  once  roused  to  action.  Mrs.  Gordon  ex- 
emplified the  truth  of  this  opinion.  She  was  in- 
defatigable in  her  exertions  to  bring  about  the  end 
she  desired.  Almost  daily  she  managed  that,  one 
way  or  another,  Stella  should  be  irritated  against 
her  lover  and  do  something  to  irritate  him  in  turn- 
To  her  own  suprise,  she  developed  a  decided 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  171 

genius  for  intrigue,  really  enjoyed  the  excitement 
of  the  game  she  was  playing,  and  played  in  a  per- 
fectly dispassionate  spirit.  Until  on  Christmas 
eve  when  he  so  nearly  defeated  her  by  his  per- 
tinacity and  resolution,  she  had  not  entertained 
the  slightest  ill-feeling  toward  Southgate,  nor  was 
she  troubled  with  the  least  twinge  of  remorse  for 
the  injury  she  was  doing  him.  She  was  acting 
for  the  advantage  of  her  daughter,  she  would  have 
said  to  her  conscience,  had  she  owned  such  an  ap- 
pendage and  it  had  ventured  a  remonstrance. 

Great  was  her  exultation  now,  as,  leaving  Stella 
dissolved  in  tears,  she  drove  off  to  do  some  shop- 
ping. She  regarded  the  marriage  with  Gartrell 
as  virtually  accomplished. 

Her  husband  looked  at  the  matter  in  a  very  dif- 
ferent light.  Knowing  Southgate  well,  and  ap- 
preciating his  character  at  its  true  worth,  he 
had  been  more  than  pleased  with  the  proposed 
connection,  and  his  disappointment  and  regret  at 
this  termination*  of  the  affair  was  extreme.  Ad- 
ded to  which  he  was  both  shocked  and  angered 
at  an  exposure  of  conduct  on  the  part  of  his 
daughter  which  he  regarded  as  nothing  less  than 
false  and  unprincipled. 

He  walked  up  and  down  the  floor,  after  his  wife 
was  gone,  looking  and  feeling  very  much  in- 
censed ;  and  as  soon  as  Stella's  sobs  softened  a 
little  from  their  first  violence  he  requested  and 
obtained  her  version  of  the  affair. 


172  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  Humph !  You  have  certainly  acted  in  a  very 
honorable  manner,"  he  said,  with  stinging  irony, 
when  she  concluded. 

"  O  papa  !  "  she  cried  deprecatingly. 

"  I  thought  you  might  possibly  be  able  to  make 
some  explanation  which  I  could  offer  to  South- 
gate,"  he  went  on  coldly ;  "but  I  see  he  was 
right  in  saying  that  your  conduct  is  inexcusable. 
I  am  disappointed  in  you,  Stella — bitterly 
disappointed.  Of  course,  I  knew  that  you  were 
spoiled  and  childish,  but  I  gave  you  credit  for 
having  some  sense  and  some  principle.  In  this 
affair  you  have  show,n  no  sign  of  either.  However," 
checking  himself,  "  reproaches  will  do  no  good  ; 
nor,  I  am  afraid,  will  advice.  But  I  have  one 
word  of  warning  to  give  you.  Unless  you  want  to 
make  a  miserable  life  for  yourself  do  not  think 
of  marrying  Gartrell.  He  is  not  a  man  to  be 
trusted." 

"  I  would  not  marry  him  to  save  his  life,  or  my 
own  either  !  "  she  exclaimed  vehemently. 

"  Don't  talk  senselessly,"  said  her  father,  with 
frowning  impatience,  as  he  turned  to  leave  the 
room. 

Stella  listened  to  his  receding  steps  and  felt 
that  hope  had  departed  with  them.  His  words, 
"  There  is  nothing  more  to  be  done  in  the  matter," 
and  her  mother's  addendum,  "  except  to  return 
Mr.  Southgate's  ring,"  seemed  repeated  almost 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  173 

audibly  beside  her.  It  had  come  to  this,  then — 
her  engagement  was  really  at  an  end. 

She  sat  for  .a  long  time  just  where  her  father 
left  her,  without  moving,  almost  without  breath- 
ing, with  something  of  a  stunned  sensation. 

The  entrance  of  a  servant  with  two  cards  at  last 
roused  her. 

"  Why  didn't  you  say  *  not  at  home,'  Robert  ?  " 
she  exclaimed  impatiently,  taking  the  cards  and 
glancing  at  them,  turning  her  back  to  the  man  in- 
voluntarily as  she  did  so  to  prevent  his  seeing  her 
face,  on  which  the  traces  of  tears  must  be  very 
visible,  she  feared.  "  You  know  mamma  is  out." 

"  I  said  so,  Miss  Stella,  ancl  that  you  were  not 
up,  I  thought.  Mrs.  Harrison  was  going  away  then, 
but  Miss  Flora  insisted  on  my  finding  out  whether 
you  could  not  see  her.  So  I  asked  them  in." 

"  Say,  with  my  compliments,  that  I  beg  to  be 
excused." 

But  before  the  servant  could  leave  the  room 
she  stopped  him.  The  dread  idea  of  what  the 
opinion  of  the  world  would  be  as  to  the  breaking 
of  her  engagement,  for  the  first  time  came  like  a 
shock  upon  her.  Of  course  the  fact  would  soon 
be  known.  Of  course  the  dullest  people  could 
put  two  and  two  together — Southgate's  absence 
from  Mr.  Gartrell's  ball  and  from  her  mother's 
party  the  evening  before,  and  her  own  low 
spirits  on  both  occasions.  She  was  sure  it  would 
be  perfectly  well  understood  that  he  had  with- 


174  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

drawn  from  the  contract,  not  been  rejected.  Her 
vanity  writhed  at  the  bare  imagination  of  all  that 
would  be  said  on  the  subject.  She  could  hear 
Mrs.  Harrison  and  her  daughter — who,  though 
not  ill-natured,  were  thoroughpaced  gossips — con- 
tributing their  quota  to  the  general  fund  of  con- 
jecture and  report.  "  No  wonder  she  was  not  to 
be  seen  this  morning,  poor  thing !  "  Mrs.  Harri- 
son, she  knew,  would  exclaim  in  sympathetic 
tone  ;  and  Flora  would  add,  with  a  slight  shrug  of 
the  shoulders,  "  I  always  knew  how  that  affair 
would  end.  Stella  is  too  incorrigible  a  flirt  to 
marry  the  first  man  she  was  engaged  to !  " 

Swift  as  a  flash  all  these  thoughts  were  in  her 
mind;  her  pride  was  in  arms  .in  an  instant.  A 
sense  of  indignant  anger  against  Southgate  which 
she  had  never  felt  before  took  possession  of  her. 
"  She  would  show  him  that  she  was  not  heart- 
broken, nor  even  hurt,  by  his  desertion  !  "  she  ex- 
claimed mentally. 

"  Stay,  Robert !  "  she  cried,  almost  in  the  same 
breath  with  the  apology  she  had  just  delivered, 
and  before  Robert  had  taken  a  step  toward  the 
door. 

Turning  rapidly  to  a  mirror,  she  scrutinized  her 
face.  It  was  not  so  hopelessly  unpresentable  as 
she  had  expected  to  see  it ;  and,  bidding  the  man 
say  she  would  be  down  presently,  she  hurried  to 
her  chamber,  bathed  her  eyes,  manipulated  her 
flushed  cheeks  gently  with  a  powder-puff,  and 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  175 

then  made  a  very  deliberate  toilette.  By  the  time 
this  was  completed  scarcely  a  trace  of  her  late 
distress  was  discernible  even  by  herself,  and  to 
her  friends  in  the  drawing-room  she  looked  quite 
as  usual.  They  had  no  suspicion  that  they  had 
been  kept  waiting  so  long  from  any  other  reason 
than  the  one  she  apologetically  alleged — her  hav- 
ing been  late  in  rising,  and  always  taking  a  long 
time  to  dress. 

Mrs.  Gordon  was  amazed,  on  her  return,  to  hear 
voices  and  laughter  as  she  entered  the  hall,  and  to 
find  Stella,  in  her  best  looks  and  spirits,  entertain- 
ing visitors.  Here  was  a  transformation  as  un- 
looked  for  as  it  was  welcome.  She  had  expected 
to  have  no  slight  trouble,  and  that  it  would  re- 
quire skilful  management,  to  induce  her  daughter 
to  "  act  reasonably  "  in  the  matter  of  her  broken 
engagement.  Her  relief  and  pleasure  were  great 
at  perceiving  that  the  girl  herself  had  as  she  con- 
sidered, taken  so  sensible  an  attitude. 

And  Stella  was  as  much  pleased  with  herself  as 
her  mother  was  pleased  with  her,  when  she  found 
how  well  she  was  acting  her  hastily-adopted  role. 
She  made  an  engagement  for  the  evening  with  Mrs. 
Harrison,  and,  while  the  two  elderly  ladies  were 
exchanging  parting  civilities  when  Mrs.  Harrison 
and  her  daughter  rose  to  go,  remarked  to  her 
friend  Flora,  apropos  of  observing  the  latter's  gaze 
fixed  on  her  hand  : 

"  I  see  you  miss  my  ring.     I  was  tired  of  it,  it 


176  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

had  so  many  sharp  edges  and  was  always  cutting 
or  scratching  me.  So  I  have  taken  it  off — for 
good." 

"  Indeed  !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Harrison,  surprised. 
"  You  mean  you  have  discarded  Mr.  Southgate  ?  " 

Stella  winced  at  this  point-blank  question.  She 
would  have  been  willing  to  convey  indirectly  the 
impression  just  expressed,  Southgate  having  re- 
quested that  she  would  give  to  the  world  her  own 
version  of  the  affair ;  but  her  capability  of  decep- 
tion was  not  robust  enough  to  commit  a  positive 
breach  of  veracity.  Therefore  she  laughed  and 
answered : 

"  Oh !  no.  The  affair  had  become  mutually 
unbearable,  and  we  determined  to  be  happy  apart 
instead  of  miserable  together.  Don't  you  think 
we  were  right  ?  " 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CHANCE  has  often  more  to  do  with  the  shaping 
of  human  action  than  the  actor  himself  is  aware. 
In  the  present  case  the  mere  circumstance  of  an 
inopportune  visit  caused  Stella  to  take  a  line  of 
conduct  which  would  not  probably  have  been  her 
choice  had  time  been  afforded  her  for  considera- 
tion. She  could  not  permit  the  Harrisons  to  think 
she  was  in  agonies  of  regret  at  the  loss  of  her 
lover — that,  she  was  aware,  would  be  the  infer- 
ence drawn  from  her  denying  herself  to  them  as 
soon  as  the  fact  of  her  break  with  Southgate  be- 
came known — and  so  she  constrained  herself  to 
put  aside  the  pain  she  felt  and  affect  indifference. 
Then,  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  she  gave 
Miss  Harrison  (whom  she  knew  to  be  a  good  pub- 
lishing medium)  an  explanation  of  the  affair  the 
truth  of  which  she  afterwards  felt  bound  to  sub- 
stantiate by  her  conduct. 

A  sense  of  womanly  pride,  aided  by  her  epicu- 
rean nature,  which  turned  instinctively  from 
everything  painful  and  seized  instinctively  every 
possibility  of  amusement  and  enjoyment  the  pas- 
sing moment  afforded,  enabled  her  to  succeed 
fairly  well  in  her  self-appointed  task.  If  she  felt 
her  lover's  defection  to  be  anything  but  a  relief 
12  (177) 


178  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

she  betrayed  no  sign  to  that  effect,  unless  a  more 
feverish  pursuit  of  pleasure  than  she  had  indulged 
before  even  might  be  construed  so.  She  flirted 
and  danced  the  german  ad  libitum  now,  and  be- 
came so  very  "  fast  "  that  her  mother  interfered — 
or,  more  properly  speaking,  attempted  to  inter- 
fere, but  without  result. 

"You  destroyed  the  happiness  of  my  life, 
mamma,  and  you  must  allow  me  to  take  all  the 
pleasure  I  can  get  in  place  of  it,"  she  said  coldly 
in  reply  to  Mrs.  Gordon's  remonstrances  and  re- 
proofs, and  went  her  way  with  utter  indifference 
to  everything  but  the  gratification  of  her  own 
will. 

Smarting  under  an  accusation  that  was  but  half 
true,  Mrs.  Gordon  soon  began  to  wish  that  she 
had  not  undertaken  to  order  Stella's  life,  but  had 
acquiesced  in  what  fate  and  Stella  herself  had 
elected  as  fitting. 

It  was  not  only  that  the  latter's  resentment 
seemed  inappeasable,  manifesting  itself  in  a  frigid 
distance  of  manner  and  studied  avoidance  of 
her  presence  which  wounded  even  more  than  pro- 
voked her.  She  had  incurred  her  husband's  dis- 
pleasure also.  He  blamed  her  severely,  she  could 
see.  Though  he  said  only  a  few  words  on  the 
subject  once,  and  did  not  recur  to  it  after- 
wards, he  was  cold,  almost  stern,  in  his  manner  to 
her  as  well  as  to  their  daughter.  She  was  obliged 
to  admit  to  herself  that  the  result  of  her  labors 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  179 

at  match-breaking  and  match  making  was  alto- 
gether infelicitous.  She  had  brought  a  cloud  upon 
her  marital  life  and  had  estranged  her  daughter's 
affection. 

That  was  not  all  ;  for  when,  early  in  the  new- 
year,  Gartrell  fulfilled  her  prediction  by  propos- 
ing to  Stella,  he  received  a  prompt  and  decided 
refusal — a  refusal  so  prompt  and  decided  that 
most  men  would  have  accepted  it  as  final. 

Not  so  Gartrell.  He  never,  like  the  rest  of 
Stella's  friends  and  acquaintance,  was  deceived  by 
her  affected  indifference  and  rattling  gayety  into 
the  belief  that  she  had  thrown  over  Southgate  for 
his — Gartrell's — sake  and  was  ready  to  marry  him 
at  a  word.  Having  read  with  tolerable  accuracy 
the  whole  course  of  her  conduct,  he  understood 
much  better  than  Southgate  did  that  she  was  sin- 
cerely attached  to  the  latter,  and  that  the  faults 
which  to  her  lover  seemed  grave  and  inherent  de- 
fects of  character  were  simply  the  volatility  of 
extreme  youth  and  an  exuberance  of  animal 
spirits  which  she  had  not  yet  learned  to  control. 
He  was  not  surprised,  scarcely  disappointed,  and 
certainly  not  discouraged,  by  the  issue  of  his  first 
proposal,  considering  it  a  first  step  only,  a  break- 
ing ground,  so  to  speak,  and  not  expecting  a  dif- 
ferent answer. 

But  he  was  just  the  man  to  be  animated  instead 
of  dismayed  by  obstacles.  That  which  was  diffi- 
cult of  attainment  he  most  desired  ;  and,  apart 


180  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

from  this  very  common  sentiment  of  mankind  he 
was  really  fascinated  by  Stella's  beauty  and  vivac- 
ity. Above  all,  his  vanity  was  enlisted  in  the 
pursuit.  She  was  the  first  woman  he  had  ever 
asked  to  be  his  wife,  and  she  had  declined  that 
much-coveted  honor.  Such  a  failure  must  be  re- 
trieved, he  felt.  Time  would  reconcile  her  to  the 
loss  of  her  lover,  he  doubted  not.  He  would 
wait  awhile,  perhaps,  before  renewing  his  ad- 
dresses ;  but,  at  whatever  cost  of  effort  and  man- 
agement, he  must  win  her,  he  was  resolved. 

No  doubt  he  was  more  encouraged  than  he 
would  otherwise  have  been  to  persevere  in  his  ob- 
ject by  the  fact  that  Southgate  left  M a  few 

days  after  the  rupture  of  his  engagement,  for,  he 
informed  his  friends,  a  stay  of  considerable  time 
in  Europe.  He  had  a  brother,  a  student  of  the 
Propaganda,  whom  he  had  been  intending  to  visit 
during  the  autumn  just  past.  His  engagement 
having  prevented  the  fulfilment  of  that  intention, 
Stella  had  consented  to  be  married  in  April,  and 
they  were  to  sail  at  once  for  the  Old  World.  He 
now  went  alone  ;  and  Gartrell  considered  him 
well  out  of  the  way,  and,  like  Mrs.  Gordon,  re- 
garded his  own  success  to  be  simply  a  matter  of 
time. 

He  would  not  have  been  so  sanguine  had  he 
known  what  Stella's  feelings  toward  him  were. 
He  had  injured  her  by  tempting  her  to  flirt  with 
him  and  thereby  provoke  her  lover  to  break  with 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  181 

her  ;  she  had  injured  him  by  being  induced  to 
flirt  with  him  and  thus  lead  him  to  suppose  she 
would  marry  him.  So  the  proposition  stood  in 
her  mind.  Mutually  sinning  and  sinned  against, 
they  were  quits,  she  thought  ;  and,  on  her  part, 
she  wished  she  might  henceforth  and  forever  be 
quit  of  him  and  his  admiration.  She  had  never 
imagined  or  desired  that  this  admiration  would 
take  the  practical  form  of  a  declaration  of  love 
and  proposal  of  marriage.  A  little  incense  to  her 
vanity  was  all  she  had  wanted  from  him. 

His  proposal  gratified  her  in  one  way  only.  In 
the  bitterness  of  her  anger  against  her  mother  she 
was  pleased  to  be  able  (metaphorically  speaking) 
to  trample  on  that  lady's  ambitious  hopes,  and  to 
let  her  see  that  her  intriguing  had  done  nothing 
but  mischief.  Too  eager  and  anxious  not  to 
be  observant,  Mrs.  Gordon  divined  at  once  by 
Gartrell's  manner,  when  she  returned  to  the  draw- 
ing-room one  morning  after  having  absented  her- 
self for  a  time  in  order  to  give  him  the  opportu- 
nity, which  she  hoped  and  believed  he  desired,  of 
speaking  to  her  daughter,  that  he  had  put  his  fate 
to  the  touch — and  lost. 

"  Did  not  Mr.  Gartrell  offer  himself  this  morn- 
ing, Stella  ?  "  she  inquired  the  first  moment  she 
obtained  for  speaking  to  Stella  privately,  which, 
thanks  to  an  influx  of  visitors  at  the  time  and  the 
manoeuvres  of  the  latter  afterwards,  was  not 
until  she  had  endured  some  hours  of  suspense. 


182  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  He  did  me  that  honor,"  answered  Stella,  with 
just  the  faintest  inflection  of  irony  in  her  voice. 

"  And  you — ?  "  said  her  mother,  outwardly 
calm,  but  inwardly  palpitating  with  alarm  at  the 
bare  suspicion  which  began  to  dawn  upon  her. 

"  I  declined  the  honor." 

"  You  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  refused  him  ?  " 
cried  Mrs.  Gordon  in  a  tone  of  violent  anger. 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  cool  reply. 

It  seemed  at  the  moment  as  if  mother  and 
daughter  had  changed  characters.  Mrs.  Gordon, 
who  had  all  her  life  been  so  imperturbably  tran- 
quil in  manner,  was  now  excited  beyond  the 
power  of  self-control.  Her  ample  chest  heaved 
with  passion  ;  her  light  blue  eyes,  which  were  too 
cold  to  flash,  had  a  dull  glow  in  them  ;  she  was 
absolutely  inarticulate  as  she  gazed  into  her 
daughter's  face,  on  which  was  a  look  almost 
cruel,  such  utter  indifference  did  it  express. 
She  had  come  into  Stella's  room  in  the  afternoon 
while  the  latter  was  dressing  for  a  short  journey 
she  was  about  to  take,  had  sent  Louise  away,  and 
abruptly  asked  the  question  which  was  thus 
answered  so  much  to  her  disappointment  ;  and  it 
was  not  only  disappointment  and  rage  that  she 
now  felt,  but  a  sort  of  startled  wonder  at  the 
change  in  Stella.  The  singular  immobility  of  the 
countenance  habitually  all  flashing  vivacity,  the 
perfect  quiet  of  the  attitude  in  which  the  girl 
stood  beside  the  toilet-table  facing  her  mother, 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  183 

with  her  hands  resting  on  the  marble,  as  motion- 
less as  if  they  had  been  part  of  it,  struck  Mrs. 
Gordon  as  so  unnatural  that  she  was  half-bewil- 
dered. A  thrill'  of  pain,  almost  remorse,  shot 
through  her  heart  ;  but  it  was  followed  the  next 
instant  by  a  rush  of  angry  indignation. 

"You  must  have  lost  your  senses!"  she  ex- 
claimed, regaining  the  power  of  speech.  "  Silly  and 
spoiled  as  you  always  were,  I  never  thought  you 
could  be  capable  of  the  idiocy  of  refusing  such  a 
man  as  this  !  " 

"  Tastes  differ,"  said  Stella* carelessly.  "  Some 
people  admire  Mr.  Gartrell — you,  mamma,  for 
instance.  I  do  not.  I  never  should  have  thought 
of  marrying  him,  even  if  he  had  not  been  the 
cause  of  my  not  being  permitted  to  marry  the  man 
I  loved." 

"I  am  ashamed  to  hear  you  speak  in  this  way !  " 
cried  Mrs.  Gordon  with  vehement  reproach.  "  I 
am  ashamed  that  my  daughter  has  so  little  pride, 
is  so  destitute  of  the  faintest  sentiment  of  self- 
respect,  as  to  boast  of  her  love  for  a  man  who 
left  her — who  rejected  her  —instead  of  despising 
and  forgetting  him  !  " 

"  It  is  only  the  despicable  whom  it  is  possible 
to  depise,"  answered  Stella  quietly.  "Mr.  South- 
gate  treated  me  as  I  deserved — I  confess  that. 
And  as  to  forgetting  him,  I  am  not  breaking  my 
heart  about  him.  No  one  would  accuse  me  of 
that,  I  am  sure, "  she  added,  with  a  cynical 


184  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

smile  that  looked  very  much  out  of  place  on  her 
lips. 

"  Everybody  will  believe  it,  if  you  show  so  little 
sense  as  to  refuse  Mr.  Gartrell.  " 

Stella  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  It  is  a  matter 
of  indifference  to  me  what  everybody  believes," 
she  said. 

"And  pray  whom  do  you  expect  to  marry,  if 
you  throw  away  such  an  offer  as  this  ?"  demanded 
her  mother,  in  despair. 

"  Nobody,  probably.  But  I  manage  to  amuse 
myself  well  enough,  and  that  is  all  I  care  about 
for  the  present.  The  future  can  take  care  of 
itself.  And  if  I  am  at  last  left  an  old  maid  on 
your  hands,  mamma,  why,  you  will  have  only 
yourself  to  thank  for  it,  you  know." 

There  was  a  ring  of  bitterness  in  the  last  words 
which  silenced  the  burst  of  anger  with  which  Mrs. 
Gordon's  heart  was  swelling.  She  turned  and  left 
the  room  without  making  any  reply  to  the  re- 
proach ;  and  Stella  rang  for  her  maid  and  resumed 
the  interrupted  labors  of  her  toilette. 

An  hour  afterwards,  having  taken  a  cold  leave 
of  her  mother,  she  was  on  her  way  to  visit  a 

friend  in  W ,  a  neighboring  town,  half  a  day's 

journey  away  by  rail. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

IN  the  fresh  fields  and  pastures  new  to  which 
she  had  betaken  herself  Stella  found  everything 
enjoyable.  She  was  charmed  to  be  with  her  friend 
Gertrude  Ingoldsby ;  she  was  pleased  with  the 
parents  of  her  friend — kind,  genial  people,  whose 
acquaintance  she  had  never  made  before ;  and, 
best  of  all  to  her,  in  the  society  of  W — there  was 
plenty  of  food  for  powder — plenty  of  young  gen- 
tlemen who,  without  permanent  injury  to  their 
hearts,  offered  her  that  incense  of  admiration 
which  she  craved  as  the  inebriate  does  brandy. 

Chief  among  the  number  of  these  admirers  was 
Tom  Ingoldsby,  a  brother  of  her  friend,  who  met 
her  at  the  station  on  her  arrival,  and  straightway 
flung  himself  down  and  licked  the  dust  of  her 
chariot-wheels.  She  appreciated  such  unhesitating 
and  unreserved  fealty,  and  accepted  it  graciously. 
As  she  often  assured  her  friend,  her  time  passed 
delightfully. 

For  a  week.  But  circumstance,  alas !  is  muta- 
able.  At  the  end  of  that  short  period  there  sud- 
denly appeared  a  Mardochai  sitting  in  the  gate  of 
triumphs. 

There  was  an  elder  son  of  the  house  of  Ingolds- 
by, who  had  been  absent  from  home  when  she  ar- 

(185) 


186  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

rived.  He  returned  one  night,  made  his  appear- 
ance at  breakfast  the  next  morning,  and  her 
peace  of  mind,  as  well  as  his  brother  Tom's,  was 
gone. 

He  did  not  bow  down  and  offer  involuntary 
homage  of  eye  and  smile  to  her  beauty,  as  most 
men  did  when  they  met  her  first.  Not  being 
what  is  called  a  ladies'  man,  it  was  a  matter  of  no 
concern  to  him  that  a  young  lady  was  domiciled 
for  the  time  in  the  house.  He  was  courteous  but 
indifferent  in  manner  when  introduced  to  her. 
"A  pretty  girl,"  he  thought  carelessly;  but  the 
piquant  face  which  many  men  considered  so  be- 
witching had  no  special  attraction  to  him.  Had  he 
been  in  the  way  of  admiring  women  his  ideal 
would  have  been  different. 

Stella  was  at  first  amazed  at  his  insensibility, 
then  disgusted,  then  piqued,  finally  put  upon  her 
mettle.  If  Mr.  Ferroll  Ingoldsby  had  been  aware 
of  the  counsel  she  took  with  her  pillow  on  the 
first  opportunity  she  had  for  consulting  that  sole 
available  friend  (she  could  not,  of  course,  discuss 
with  his  sister  the  subject  of  his  intractability  to 
the  power  of  her  charms)  he  might  have  trembled 
at  his  danger,  or — he  might  have  smiled. 

She  had  never  intentionally  been  a  coquette, 
only  a  flirt.  To  excite  admiration,  not  to  inspire 
love,  had  been  her  amusement  hitherto.  But  she 
felt  bloodthirsty  now. 

"  I  should  like  to  make  that  man  love  me,"  she 


BELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  18? 

said  to  her  confidant,  the  pillow,  as  she  laid  her 
head  down  upon  it.  "And  why  not?  Shall  I 
try?  A  whole  day  in  the  same  house,  and  he  has 
bowed  to  me  three  times?  Not  a  word  beyond 
the  most  commonplace  of  social  civilities  ;  not  a 
look  which  he  might  not  as  well  have  bestowed 
on  the  poker.  Shall  I  submit  to  such  treatment  ?  I 
think  not.  Let  me  see  :  I  have  been  here  a  week, 
and  I  came  to  stay  a  month.  Mrs.  Ingoldsby  said 
yesterday  that  she  would  not  hear  of  my  staying 
only  a  month ;  but  mamma  may  interfere  and  in- 
sist on  my  returning  home.  At  all  events  I  have 
weeks  to  count  on  and  that  is  long  enough  to 
do  a  great  deal  in,  particularly  with  mine  enemy 
at  such  close  quarters.  Well,  Mr.  Ferroll  In- 
goldsby, we  shall  see." 

Mr.  Ferroll  Ingoldsby  did  see,  what  she  vainly 
flattered  herself  she  was  successfully  concealing, 
that  she  was  endeavoring  to  attract  him.  And  he 
was  amused.  He  saw  also  that  the  face  he  had  at 
first  considered  merely  pretty  became  much  more 
than  that  when  daily  association  developed  to  his 
preception  each  detail  of  its  exquisite  loveliness. 
He  might  have  fallen  wilfully  into  the  snare  laid 
for  him  had  not  his  growing  admiration  been 
checked  by  one  little  circumstance — the  suspi- 
cion, which  indeed  might  be  called  a  conviction, 
that  Tom's  young  affections  had  been  trifled  with. 

Tom  was  desperately  in  love  and  desperately 
miserable — that  was  evident  at  a  glance ;  and, 


188  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

judging  Stella  by  her  effort  to  captivate  himself, 
Ferroll  blamed  her  for  this  more  than  she  deserved 
Tom's  infatuation  had  been  instantaneous  and 
voluntary — or,  more  properly  speaking,  perhaps, 
involuntary ;  her  only  fault  in  the  matter  being 
that,  partly  from  vanity,  partly  from  good-nature, 
she  received  his  adoration  too  kindly,  thus  foster- 
ing instead  of  repressing  it.  Regarding  him  as  a 
mere  boy,  she  treated  him  with  a  familiarity  which 
he  found  intoxicating  until  it  was  contrasted  with 
her  very  different  manner  to  his  brother.  He  saw 
then  that  she  gave  his  love  no  serious  thought, 
and  the  discovery  was  very  wounding  to  his  amour 
propre.  He  had  been  gravely  considering  of  the 
responsibilities  of  married  life  ;  and  to  be  pulled 
up  thus  abruptly  in  his  dreams  rendered  him  as 
sentimentally  unhapppy  as  a  conjunction  of 
extreme  youth  and  unsuccessful  love  generally 
makes  a  man. 

His  brother,  while  looking  upon  his  fancied 
wretchedness  as  a  folly  worthy  only  of  a  smile, 
was  nevertheless  sufficiently  sorry  for  him  to  feel 
a  little  irritated  against  Stella ;  and,  determined 
not  to  afford  her  vanity  any  farther  gratification 
he  carefully  refrained  from  paying  her  the  slight- 
est attention  not  demanded  by  the  common 
courtesy  due  to  a  guest  in  his  father's  house. 

And  so  day  after  day  passed,  and  Stella  could 
not  flatter  herself  that  she  was  making  the  slight- 
est progress  toward  her  object — had  produced  the 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE,  189 

least  impression  on  this  most  unimpressionable  of 
men. 

"  What  is  he  made  of?"  she  thought,  as  he  sat 
opposite  her  one  morning  at  breakfast,  reading  his 
newspaper,  and  never  once  looking  up  from  its 
columns,  though  he  had  only  to  lift  his  eyes  in  or- 
der to  take  in  the  beautiful  vision  before  him.  She 
was  glancing  at  a  paper  herself,  but  was  not  so 
much  interested  in  its  contents  as  to  be  deaf  to 
the  conversation  around  her. 

"  Ferroll,"  said  Mrs.  Ingoldsby  suddenly,  "  I 
hope  you  are  going  to  the  ball  to-night  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  think  of  it,"  he  said,  lowering  the 
sheet  he  held  and  turning  to  her,  "  I  rarely  go  to 
balls,  you  know." 

"  But  that  is  not  saying  you  ought  not  to  go  to 
them,"  Mrs.  Ingoldsby  remarked  in  a  highly  moral 
tone.  "  I  wish  you  were  more  social  in  your  hab- 
its. Suppose  everybody  ignored  the  duties  of 
social  life  as  you  do.  What  would  the  world  come 
to?" 

"  My  dear  mother,"  said  Ferroll,  with  a  slight 
laugh,  "your  supposition  demands  a  stretch  of 
imagination  of  which  my  ideal  faculties  are  inca- 
pable. The  great  majority  of  mankind  are  gre- 
garious in  nature.  And  especially  in  this  stirring 
age  of  the  world  there  is  not  the  least  danger  of 
too  many  people  becoming  eremitical  in  life." 

"  It  is  your  life  I  am  thinking  of,"  answered  his 
mother,  "  not  the  lives  of  other  people," 


190  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  As  to  that,"  he  said,  with  a  smile  and  tone 
which  took  the  rough  edge  off  the  words  he  was 
about  to  utter,  "  I  am  afraid  you  will  have  to  take 
me  as  I  am.  And  really  I  think  you  are  a  little 
unreasonable.  Of  your  three  children  two  are 
eminently  social  in  instinct ;  and  two  to  one  ought 
to  satisfy  you.  Here  are  Tom  and  Gertrude,  who 
would  willingly  go  to  a  ball  every  night,  and  who 
are  going  to-night,  I  am  sure.  So  I  think — don't 
you,  father? — that  I  may  be  excused." 

"  I  think  that  your  place  will  be  so  well  supplied 
in  the  family  party  to-night,"  replied  Mr.  In- 
goldsby,  with  a  smile  and  slight  bow  toward  Stella 
— he  was  a  courtly  old  gentleman — "  that,  cer- 
tainly, you  may  be  excused." 

With  a  flash  of  humor  in  his  eyes  Ferroll 
glanced  triumphantly  at  his  mother,  who  smiled 
gravely. 

"  You  are  a  bad  case,"  she  said.  "  Your  father 
always  spoiled  you." 

There  is  something  very  contagious  in  any 
sentiment  shared  by  numbers,  albeit  only  an  af- 
fair of  a  social  gathering.  Ferroll  Ingoldsby 
smiled  to  himself  that  evening  as  he  was  con- 
scious of  a  faint  inclination  to  join  the  family 
party  going  to  the  ball.  He  even  went  so  far  as 
to  say  to  his  mother,  as  he  wrapped  her  shawl 
around  her  in  the  hall : 

"  Pray  present  my   compliments  and  apologies 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  191 

to  Mrs  Ross.  Perhaps  I  may  look  in  for  a  few 
minutes  during  the  course  of  the  evening." 

"  I  shall  be  very  much  gratified  if  you  do,"  said 
his  mother  earnestly. 

But  Gertrude  laughed  and  exclaimed  :  "  Don't 
flatter  yourself  that  he  will  remember  that  prom- 
ise a  minute  after  you  are  out  of  sight,  mamma." 

Her  prognostication  would  have  been  fulfilled 
but  for  the  occurrence  of  an  unlooked-for  circum- 
stance, Ferroll  had  established  himself  comfort- 
ably in  dressing-gown  and  slippers,  and,  utterly 
oblivious  of  the  promise,  was  holding  pleasant 
converse  with  one  of  the  friends  he  loved — a 
solid-looking  volume — when  there  was  a  loud  ring 
of  the  door-bell. 

It  being  late,  he  did  not  summon  a  servant,  but 
opened  the  door  himself  and  found  a  telegraphic 
messenger  waiting. 

"  Any  answer,  Mr.  Ingoldsby  ?  "  the  man  said, 
as  he  delivered  the  black-lettered  yellow  envelope 
the  unexpected  sight  of  which  is  always  a  little 
startling  to  the  soundest  nerves. 

"  I  don't  know,"  Mr.  Ingoldsby  replied  when 
he  had  glanced  at  the  address  on  it.  "  But  I  will 
ascertain  at  once,  and  will  send  an  answer  to  the 
office  in  less  than  half  an  hour,  if  one  is  re- 
quired." 

The  message  was  for  Miss  Gordon. 

When  the  man  was  gone  Ferroll,  after  a  mo- 
mentary pause  of  deliberation,  decided  to  carry 


192  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

the  despatch  to  his  mother  and  let  her  decide 
whether  it  should  be  given  to  Miss  Gordon  im- 
mediately. It  might  be  of  importance,  or  it  might 
not.  He  would  not  take  the  responsibility  of 
withholding  it.  And  having  engaged  to  appear 
for  a  short  time  among  Mrs.  Ross'  guests,  he 
thought  this  necessary  errand  an  apropos  re- 
minder to  him.  He  made  a  hurried  toilet,  and 
a  minute's  walk  brought  him  to  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Ross,  which  was  near  by. 

The  night  was  so  mild  that  the  front  door 
was  wide  open :  he  heard  the  clash  of  music  and 
sound  of  dancing  as  he  approached.  His  intention 
was  that,  as  soon  as  ho  had  made  his  compliments 
to  his  hostess,  he  would  find  his  mother  and  give 
the  telegram  to  her.  But  it  is  often  as  impossible 
to  control  circumstances  in  small  things  as  in  great 
ones.  He  found  it  so  in  the  present  instance. 
Stella,  who  with  one  or  two  favored  attendants 
was  established  high  up  on  the  staircase,  from 
which  there  was  a  good  view  of  the  hall-door,  saw 
him  as  he  entered.  To  his  surprise  and  that  of 
her  companions,  she  started  up  and  hurried  down- 
stairs to  meet  him. 

There  was  nothing  in  his  face  to  have  excited 
her  alarm,  for  at  the  moment  he  was  not  thinking 
of  the  telegram.  Nevertheless,  one  of  those  inex- 
plicable intuitions  which  sometimes  present  them- 
selves to  the  mind,  not  as  possibilities  but  as  cer- 
tainties, took  possession  of  Stella  at  sight  of  him. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  193 

"  Is  anything  the  matter,  Mr.  Ingoldsby  ?  "  she 
asked  abruptly  as  she  came  to  his  side. 

"  Why  should  you  think  so  ?  "  he  said,  with  a 
smile.  But  a  sense  of  uneasiness  communicated 
itself  to  him  as  he  saw  that  she  had  grown  a  little 
pale ;  and  neither  his  voice  nor  his  smile  was  so 
reassuring  as  he  intended  it  to  be.  "  I  promised 
my  mother,  you  know,  to — " 

"  Something  is  the  matter,  I  am  sure,"  she  in- 
terrupted ;  and,  laying  her  hand  on  his  arm,  she 
drew  him  into  an  unoccupied  room  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  hall.  "  Now  tell  me  !  "  she  ex- 
claimed, looking  up  in  his  face  firmly,  though  the 
blood  kept  ebbing  from  her  face,  leaving  it  mo- 
mently paler  and  paler. 

"  My  dear  Miss  Gordon,"  said  Ferroll,  shrink- 
ing, it  must  be  confessed,  from  the  scene  he  feared 
might  be  impending,  and  feeling  that  his  mother, 
not  he,  was  the  proper  person  to  face  it,  yet  un- 
able to  resist  the  questioning  of  her  eye,  "  you  are 
alarming  yourself  without  cause,  I  hope.  A  tele- 
gram for  you  was  delivered  a  few  minutes  ago, 
and  I  thought  I  would  bring  it  to  my  mother — " 

He  paused,  as  Stella  extended  her  hand  with 
an  imperative  motion  not  to  be  disobeyed,  and, 
taking  the  dispatch  from  his  pocket,  gave  it  to 
her. 

With  trembling  fingers,  she  tore  open  the  en- 
velope and  unfolded  the  enclosure. 

As  her  eyes  fell  on  the  words  it  contained 
13 


194  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

everything  grew  dark  before  her  sight ;  she  reeled, 
and  would  have  fallen  if  Mr.  Ingoldsby  had  not 
caught  her  in  his  arms  and  supported  her  to  a 
seat. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  he  asked,  forgetting  ceremony 
in  the  excitement  of  the  moment. 

She  lifted  her  hand  as  if  with  difficulty,  and 
held  toward  him  the  unfolded  paper.  He  took  it 
hastily,  and  read : 

"  Mrs.  Gordon  has  met  with  an  accident  which  may 
prove  fatal. 

"  JAMES  MCDONALD." 


CHAPTER  X. 

WITHOUT  a  word  of  comment  Ferroll  pulled 
out  his  watch,  gave  one  glance  at  it,  and  said 
quickly  but  quietly : 

"  We  shall  have  time  to  catch  the  twelve-o'clock 
train,  if  you  will  come  home  at  once  and  change 
your  dress." 

She  started  to  her  feet,  and  was  turning  blindly 
to  rush  away  when  he  seized  her  hand  and  stopped 
her. 

"  I  must  get  something  to  put  around  you,"  he 
said. 

"  No,  no  !  No  need  to  wait  for  that.  It  is  only 
a  few  steps,"  she  answered. 

As  this  was  true  and  time  was  pressing,  he  did 
not  insist  on  staying  to  procure  a  wrap,  but,  draw- 
ing her  hand  within  his  arm,  led  her  without  delay 
through  a  side  entrance  into  the  street,  crossing 
which  they  soon  reached  their  destination. 

As  they  entered  the  hall  both  looked  up  at  the 
tall  clock,  the  ticking  of  which  reminded  them 
that  it  was  there. 

"  Oh !  it  is  nearly  twelve  o'clock,"  cried  Stella 
in  an  agony.  "  I  shall  not  get  to  the  station  in 
time  !  Let  us  go  at  once — let  us  go  at  once .'  My 
dress  makes  no  difference." 

(195) 


196  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

"  The  train  is  not  due  till  12.20,  and  that  clock 
is  always  fast.  We  shall  have  full  time,"  answered 
Ferroll.  "  Only  be  quick  in  changing  your  dress 
while  I  order  the  carriage.  I  will  see  if  I  can  find 
a  servant  to  send  to  you." 

"  Never  mind  that,"  she  answered,  running  up- 
stairs. 

The  gas  was  burning  low  in  the  room  she 
entered,  and,  attempting  to  turn  it  up,  in  her  ner- 
vous haste  she  turned  it  off,  leaving  herself  in 
darkness.  Shaking  her  hands  and  exclaiming  with 
impatient  terror,  she  groped  about  in  search  of  a 
box  of  matches  which  she  knew  was  somewhere 
about.  "  Somewhere  !  "  she  kept  repeating  to  her- 
self as  she  knocked  over  toilet-bottles  and  stum- 
bled against  chairs,  consuming  precious  minutes 
before  she  at  last  succeeded  in  finding  them.  Just 
as  she  lighted  the  gas  again  the  clock  struck 
twelve. 

"  O — h !  "  she  cried  despairingly,  and  began,  as 
well  as  the  trembling  of  her  hands  would  permit, 
to  unfasten  her  dress,  but  stopped  on  hearing 
Ferroll's  step  upon  the  stairs. 

"  Are  you  ready  ? "  he  called  to  her  as  he  ap- 
proached the  door. 

"  I  will  be  there  in  an  instant,"  she  responded. 

Looking  around  desperately,  she  snatched  up  an 
ulster  which  chanced  to  catch  her  eye,  seized  a  hat 
and  veil,  and  ran  out  to  him. 

He  was  surprised  to  see  her  still  in  her  ball- 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  197 

dress,  but,  shocked  by  her  white,  scared  look,  ven- 
tured no  remark  on  the  subject.  Leading  the  way 
down-stairs,  he  paused  an  instant  before  leaving 
the  house  to  put  the  ulster  on  her  and  to  place 
her  hat  on  her  head.  She  had  been  carrying  both 
in  her  hand.  A  moment  later  they  were  in  the 
carriage,  dashing  furiously  along  toward  the  sta- 
tion. 

Before  they  were  half  way  there  the  distant 
rumble  of  the  train  as  it  was  approaching  became 
audible.  Stella  grasped  her  companion's  arm  with 
a  force  that  almost  drew  an  exclamation  of  pain 
from  him. 

"  Don't  be  alarmed.  We  shall  be  in  time,"  he 
said  encouragingly. 

But  the  rush  of  the  train  grew  clearer  and 
louder  every  second ;  they  could  hear  the  stroke 
of  the  engine  now,  and  knew  by  its  diminishing 
speed  that  it  had  nearly  reached  the  station  ;  now 
the  whistle  sounded. 

Stella  uttered  a  sharp  cry.  "  I  shall  be  left !  I 
shall  be  left ! "  she  exclaimed  distractedly. 

"  No ;  here  we  are  ! " 

He  put  out  his  hand  and  unfastened  the  car- 
riage-door, and,  the  instant  they  drew  up  with  a 
jerk  at  the  end  of  the  station-platform,  flung  it 
open  and  sprang  to  the  ground,  Stella  following 
him  almost  before  he  could  turn  to  assist  her.  A 
train  was  standing  puffing  and  snorting  before 
them,  and  he  was  leading  Stella  toward  it  when 


198  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

he  bethought  him  that  this  was  the  wrong  direc- 
tion for  the  engine  of  the  train  he  was  looking  for 
to  be. 

"Where  is  the  down-train?  "  he  asked  rapidly 
of  a  negro  boy  standing  near. 

"  Yonder,  sir,  in  front,  the  other  side  of  this 
one,"  was  the  reply. 

Ferroll  seized  Stella's  hand.  "  We  must  hurry," 
he  said.  "  It  stops  only  three  minutes." 

Before  hia  last  words  were  uttered  they  were 
literally  running  down  the  long  platform.  As 
they  started  Stella's  train  caught  on  a  splinter  of 
the  flooring  and  held  her  fast,  but  Ferroll  tore  it 
off  with  an  audible  rending  of  silk,  and,  to  pre- 
vent a  repetition  of  the  accident,  carried  it  with 
one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  grasped  Stella's 
fingers,  and  they  ran  on.  Both  uttered  a  silent 
ejaculation  of  thanksgiving  when  they  came  to 
.  the  end  of  the  train  that  shut  them  off  from  the 
one  they  were  seeking ;  side  by  side  they  sprang 
from  the  platform  to  the  ground,  crossed  the  inter- 
vening track,  and  found  themselves  at  last  beside 
the  down-train,  which,  fortunately,  was  still  sta- 
tionary. Ferroll  was  out  of  breath  himself  and 
Stella  was  gasping  when  he  half-lifted,  half-dragged 
her  up  the  high  steps  to  the  platform  of  the  first 
car  they  came  to. 

She  pressed  his  hand  with  a  look  of  gratitude 
more  expressive  than  words  when  he  had  placed 


ie  had  pla< 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  199 

her  in  a  seat.  "  Give  my  love  to  Gertrude,"  she 
commenced  falteringly,  "  and — " 

"  I  am  going  with  you"  he  said. 

"  Oh  !  pray  do  not.  I  have  caused  you  trouble 
enough  already.  Indeed  I  can  go  alone  perfectly 
now." 

"  But — "  he  began  in  a  tone  of  remonstrance, 
then  checked  himself,  said  "  Very  well,"  and  left 
her. 

Retiring  a  little  distance  behind,  he  flung  him- 
self into  a  seat  with  a  deep  breath  of  relief  as  the 
train,  with  a  sudden  movement  almost  like  the 
bound  of  an  impatient  horse,  was  off. 

Stella  sat  like  a  statue  where  she  had  been 
placed.  So  long  as  she  was  goaded  on  by  the 
necessity  for  action  she  had  been  able  to  exert 
herself  and  to  control  her  thoughts  somewhat. 
She  felt  perfectly  nerveless  now,  and  her  brain 
was  in  a  whirl. 

"  An  accident  which  may  prove  fatal — an  acci- 
dent which  may  prove  fatal — an  accident  which 
may  prove  fatal — " 

If  she  had  possessed  the  muscular  power  to  lift 
her  hands  she  would  have  held  them  over  her  ears 
to  shut  out  the  sound  of  these  terrible  words  that 
seemed  ringing  through  them.  An  accident ! 
What  sort  of  accident?  The  term  represented 
only  one  idea  to  her  mind — fire.  Oh  I  was  her 
mother  'writhing  in  the  indescribable  agonies 
caused  by  burning  ?  Or  perhaps — but  no  ;  that 


200  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

thought  was  too  horrible  !  She  turned  from  it 
with  an  inarticulate  gasp  which  would  have  been 
a  cry,  if  her  tongue  had  not  been  like  lead  in  her 
mouth.  A  strong,  convulsive  shudder  seized  her  ; 
she  shook  so  perceptively  that  Ferroll  noticed  it, 
sprang  up  in  voluntarily  and  made  a  step  forward, 
but  stood  still  then,  doubtful  whether  to  go  to  her 
or  not. 

He  thought  it  no  wonder  that  she  was  cold.  A 
ball-dress  is  not  very  well  adapted  to  the  exi- 
gencies of  night  travel  in  January,  even  in  a 
warm  climate  and  well-heated  car  ;  and  the  wrap 
she  wore  was  a  very  light  one.  Mr.  Ingoldsby 
was  much  concerned,  therefore,  as,  standing  tall 
and  solitary  in  the  aisle  of  the  car,  he  looked 
across  two  or  three  seats,  the  occupants  of 
which  were  reclining  doubled  up  in  various  at- 
titudes of  slumber,  to  where  she  sat  bolt  up- 
right and  shivering. 

His  precipitate  movement  when  he  left  his 
place  disturbed  his  opposite  neighbor,  a  young 
man  who  was  dozing  uneasily,  with  his  feet 
resting  on  the  arm  of  the  seat  and  his  head  and 
shoulders  propped  against  the  side  of  the  car. 
With  something  like  a  groan  of  discomfort  he 
made  a  little  change  in  his  position,  and  was 
about  to  compose  himself  again  to  his  slumbers 
when,  by  an  impulse,  he  opened  his  eyes  and 
looked  at  the  figure  standing  motionless  near  him. 
As  he  looked  his  eye  quickened  with  recognition. 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE,  201 

"  Ingoldsby  !  "  he  exclaimed. 

Ferroll  turned  at  the  sound  of  his  name,  and 
took  the  hand  which  the  other,  who  had  started 
to  a  sitting  posture,  held  out,  shaking  it  warmly. 

"  Haralson !  I  am  delighted  to  see  you.  Where 
did  you  drop  from  ?  How  are  you  ?  "  he  said. 

"  I  am  on  my  way  home  from  Richmond,  and  I 
am  as  stiff  as  a  poker,"answered  Mr.  Haralson  cat- 
egorically. 

He  pushed  back  the  tumbled  little  crisps  of 
light  brown  hair  from  his  very  handsome  forehead 
and  with  a  grimace  of  impatience  tore  off  a  white 
silk  handkerchief  that  was  tied  carelessly  about 
his  throat. 

"  How  warm  it  is ! "  he  exclaimed — "  quite  a 
different  temperature  from  the  one  I  left  a  few 
hours  ago.  And  how  uncomfortable  it  is  to  try 
to  sleep  on  one  of  these  seats  !  But  I  can't  stand 
being  stifled  in  a  sleeping-car  in  this  latitude." 

"  I  wish  I  had  happen  ed  to  get  into  the  sleep- 
ing-car," said  Ferroll,  turning  his  head  to  glance 
at  Stella.  "  But  we  were  fortunate  to  have  hit 
this  one  ;  we  might  have  struck  the  smoking- 
car." 

Seeing  that  his  friend's  glance  had  followed  his 
own  with  an  expression  of  curiosity,  and  now 
fixed  itself  with  surprise  on  his  evening  dress,  he 
leant  over  and  explained  where  and  on  what  er- 
rand he  was  going  ;  then,  having  despoiled  Mr. 
Haralson  of  a  heavy  overcoat  which  had  made 


202  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

that  gentleman's  pillow,  and  the  handkerchief  just 
taken  off,  he  rather  hesitatingly  approached 
Stella. 

"  Forgive  me  for  disturbing  you,"  he  said  very 
gently,  "  but  pray  let  me  try  to  make  you  a  little 
less  uncomfortable  than  I  am  sure  you  must  be. 
You  are  chilled.  Corne  nearer  the  stove." 

Stella,  yielding  more  to  the  tone  than  the  words, 
allowed  him  to  lead  her  to  a  seat  beside  the  stove. 
As  he  was  tying  the  handkerchief  around  her 
neck  and  buttoning  her  ulster,  which  hung  care- 
lessly open,  said : 

"I  am  not  cold,  but  oh  !  I  am  so  wretched." 

The  words  seemed  to  burst  from  her  lips  sud- 
denly, almost  without  volition  on  her  part. 

"  It  is  natural  that  you  should  be  distressed," 
said  Ferroll  kindly ;  "  but  you  are  more  alarmed 
than  I  should  be  were  I  in  your  place.  There  is 
always  so  much  excitement  felt  about  an  accident, 
particularly  at  first,  that  one  must  allow  a  wide 
margin  for  exaggeration  of  speech." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  she  said  eagerly. 

"  I  really  do." 

"But  the  telegram  ?  "  she  suggested  in  a  tone 
of  sickening  apprehension. 

"  That  was  written  and  sent  hastily,  no  doubt. 
Who  sent  it,  by  the  way  ?  " 

"Our  family  physician,  Dr.  McDonald.  That 
is  why  I  am  so  alarmed." 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  203 

"  What  sort  of  man  is  he — sanguine  or  despon- 
dent generally  about  his  patients  ?" 

"  Very  despondent." 

"And  you  allow  yourself  to  be  so  frightened  ? 
Why,  my  dear  Miss  Gordon,  I  feel  quite  reas- 
sured since  you  tell  me  this.  Stop  and  think  a 
moment,  and  you  will  remember  that  the  greater 
number  of  accidents  you  ever  heard  of  were  con- 
sidered worse  at  first  than  they  afterwards  proved 
to  be.  A  slight  one  is  thought  serious,  and  a 
serious  one  desperate,  as  a  rule.  And  since  Dr. 
McDonald  is  not,  you  say,  a  cheerful  man  in  the 
way  of  viewing  medical  matters,  I  have  no  doubt 
he  has  unintentionally  exaggerated  the  gravity  of 
this  accident.  Try  to  go  to  sleep,  or  you  will 
be  quite  exhausted  when  you  reach  M at  day- 
light." 

He  tucked  her  up  carefully  in  the  overcoat  and 
left  her  a  little  comforted.  Recalling  what  he  had 
said,  she  thought  it  very  reasonable  ;  and,  more- 
over, the  first  stunning  effect  of  the  shock  being 
over  by  this  time,  there  came  a  natural  reaction 
of  hopefulness.  She  had  never  in  her  life  had  a 
serious  grief  or  misfortune,  and  was  therefore  un- 
able to  realize  the  possibility  of  such  a  thing. 
Then  Ferroll's  care  had  made  her  very  comfort- 
able in  a  bodily  sense,  and  the  excitements  of  the 
evening,  both  pleasurable  and  painful,  had  greatly 
tired  her.  Without  any  premonition  sleep  fell 
suddenly  on  her  eyelids. 


204  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

An  hour  afterwards  she  was  awakened  by  the 
sound  of  the  whistle  as  the  train  drew  up  at  a 
station.  There  was  the  usual  slight  stir  among 
the  slumbering  passengers,  a  few  sleepy  exclama- 
tions and  sighs,  a  few  words  exchanged,  and  then 
everybody  became  silent  and  still  again. 

Everybody  but  Stella.  She  had  slept  soundly 
and  was  refreshed ;  and  the  moment  she  was 
awake  her  first  alarm  returned  in  full  force. 
She  felt  impatient  of  the  loss  of  an  instant's  time, 
and  seemed  to  her  that  the  prescribed  three  min- 
utes for  the  stopping  of  the  train  were  lengthening 
themselves  indefinitely.  Could  it  be  only  three 
minutes,  she  wondered  presently,  since  she  had 
been  wakened  by  the  whistle  and  the  sudden 
cessation  of  movement  ?  Surely  it  was  more  than 
that.  She  started  up,  and,  bending  toward  the 
light,  examined  her  watch.  It  had  stopped.  Ris- 
ing from  her  seat,  she  looked  about  her  in  search 
of  Ferroll,  but  he  was  not  to  be  seen.  She 
walked  to  the  door  at  the  rear  end  of  the  car  and 
glanced  out.  Darkness  and  the  sleeping-car  were 
all  that  met  her  sight. 

Turning,  she  passed  between  the  two  rows  of 
seats  and  their  unconscious  occupants  to  the  op- 
posite door-,  and  at  last  her  perseverance  was  re- 
warded. As  she  pulled  the  door  noiselessly  open 
she  heard  Ferroll's  voice  inquiring  in  a  tone  of 
concern  : 

"  And  how  long  shall  we  be  detained  ?  " 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  205 

"  She'll  be  up  in  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
/iow.  The  conductor's  this  minute  got  a  tele- 
gram," was  the  reply  of  a  train-hand  who  was 
passing  the  car  as  he  spoke. 

Ferroll  stood  just  outside  the  door,  but  with 
his  back  to  it,  so  that  he  did  not  see  Stella,  and 
she  was  about  to  address  him  when  a  puff  of 
cigar-smoke  floated  into  her  face  and  another  voice 
near  him  exclaimed: 

"  Just  my  luck  !  The  same  thing  happened  as  I 
went  on.  Ned  Southgate,  who  was  on  his  way  to 
Baltimore  to  take  the  Allan  Line  steamer,  was 
very  much  afraid  he  would  lose  his  passage,  we 
were  so  much  behind-time.  By  the  way,  what  has 
Miss  Gordon  done  with  Gartrell  ?  You  know,  of 
course,  that  she  broke  with  Southgate  on  Gar- 
trell's  account." 

"  Did  she  ?  "  said  Ferroll  in  a  tone  evincing  no 
great  interest.  "  I  have  little  acquaintance  with 
her ;  never  met  her  until  about  a  week  ago.  She 
is  a  friend  of  my  sister,  whom  she  has  been  visiting. 
That  is  all  I  know  about  her." 

"  It  is  a  wonder  you  don't  know  a  good  deal 
more  after  being  in  the  same  house  with  her  a 
week,"  remarked  Mr.  Haralson.  "She  has  the 
character  of  being  a  consummate  flirt  and  co- 
quette." 

"  He  who  runs  may  read  that,"  said  his  friend. 
"  But  flirting  or  being  flirted  with  is  a  thing  not 
in  my  line." 


206  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  She  didn't  pay  you  the  compliment  of  riddling 
you,  then  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  Ingoldsby,  with  a  slight  laugh. 
"  I  fancy  she  had  as  much  on  her  hands  as  she 
could  attend  to  before  I  appeared  upon  the  scene. 
She  made  mincemeat  of  poor  Tom  and  half  a 
dozen  others,  I  believe." 

"  I  should  like  to  exchange  broadsides  with 
her,"  observed  Mr.  Haralson,  in  a  tone  which 
indicated  that  he  had  no  fear  of  what  the  result 
in  that  case  would  be  as  regarded  himself.  "  I 

went  to  M twice  on  purpose  to  see  her,  but 

she  was  from  home  both  times.  She  must  be  out 
of  the  common  to  have  tackled  Gartrell  success- 
fully." 

"She  would  need  to  be  so  much  out  of  the 
common  to  have  done  that,"  said  Ingoldsby,  "  that 
I  am  incredulous  of  the  alleged  fact.  Gartrell  is 
the  last  man  in  the  world  not  to  be  able  to  hold 
his  own  with  any  woman  in  an  affair  of  this  kind. 
That  he  could  be  made  a  fool  of  by  a  girl  like  this 
— almost  a  child — is  inconceivable.  It  is  much 
more  probable  that  he  was  trifling  with  her  than 
she  with  him." 

"  There's  no  telling,"  said  Mr.  Haralson,  send- 
ing another  whiff  of  smoke  into  Stella's  face,  as 
she  stood  unconsciously  riveted  to  the  spot,  for- 
getting for  the  instant  even  her  anxiety  about  her 
mother  in  the  pungent  mortification  she  felt  at 
hearing  herself  spoken  of  in  such  a  manner. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  207 

"  Brant  Townsley,  who  was  my  informant  in  the 
matter,  don't  believe  that  she  discarded  Southgate, 
as  reported.  He  thinks  the  hitch  was  the  other 
way,  though  he  says  he  could  not  make  South- 
gate  admit  this.  But  he  suspects  that  she  did 
reject  Gartrell.  " 

Stella  stayed  to  hear  no  more.  Softly  closing 
the  door,  which  she  had  been  holding  very  slightly 
ajar,  she  returned  in  haste  to  her  place  beside  the 
stove  with  an  additional  and  all  but  intolerable 
pain  gnawing  at  her  heart.  The  sense  of  morti- 
fied vanity  of  which  she  had  been  sensible  when 
she  heard  Ferroll's  laugh  at  Mr.  Haralson's  ques- 
tion, and  knew  by  its  ring  of  amusement  that, 
though  he  was  too  dignified  to  say  so,  he  had 
perceived  her  attempt  to  captivate  him,  was  lost 
in  a  much  stronger  emotion — remorse  for  the 
anger  and  coldness  she  had  shown  to  her  mother. 
Haralson's  careless,  gossiping  remarks  about 
Southgate  and  Gartrell  brought  it  all  back  so 
vividly  to  her  recollection,  and  she  saw  so  plainly 
now  how  entirely  the  whole  affair — her  quarrel 
with  Southgate  and  her  mother's  advocacy  of 
Gartrell's  suit — had  originated  in  her  own  inor- 
dinate vanity  and  self-will. 

She  was  reclining  very  much  as  Ferroll  had  left 
her,  with  her  eyes  wide  open  and  fixed  in  a  sort 
of  hopeless  gaze  on  vacancy,  when  he  came  to  her 
side  a  few  minutes  afterwards,  followed  by  a 
servant  carrying  a  salver. 


208  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  What  is  the  matter  that  we  are  stopping  so 
long  ?  "  she  exclaimed  in  a  despairing  tone  when 
she  saw  him. 

"  The  train  from  the  other  direction  was  not  on 
time,"  he  explained  ;  "  but  it  will  be  up  in  a  few 
minutes  now,  the  conductor  says.  I  scarcely 
regret  the  detention,  since  it  has  enabled  me  to 
get  you  some  supper.  If  you  do  not  take  some- 
thing," he  added,  seeing  her  about  to  decline  it, 
"you  will  have  a  violent  headache  to-morrow 
after  such  a  night  as  you  have  passed.  Let  me 
prevail  on  you  to  drink  this  coffee,  at  least." 

She  received  the  cup  he  offered,  and  drank  the 
coffee  as  if  it  had  been  a  draught  prescribed  by  a 
physician,  but  shook  her  head  when  he  further 
suggested  a  biscuit. 

"  I  feel  as  if  food  would  choke  me,"  she  said. 

The  remaining  hours  of  the  night  seemed  to  her 
interminably  long.  Yet  when  the  end  of  her 
journey  was  approaching,  when  suspense  would 
soon  be  succeeded  by  she  knew  not  what  horrible 
certainty,  she  almost  wished  to  prolong  even  her 
present  suffering.  She  felt  faint  to  the  tips  of  her 
fingers.  When  Ferroll  joined  her,  as  the  train 
began  to  slacken  speed,  it  was  almost  a  matter  of 
doubt  with  her  whether  she  would  be  able  to  rise 
from  her  seat  and  walk  out  of  the  car. 

It  was  just  after  daylight  as,  more  supported 
than  led  by  her  kind  escort,  she  left  the  train. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  209 

**  Come  into  the  waiting-room  a  minute,"  Fer- 
roll  said,  "  and  I  will  get  you  a  glass  of  water." 

She  was  permitting  him  to  take  her  there — for 
she  almost  feared,  as  he  did,  that  she  might 
faint — when  a  gentleman  approached  hastily. 

"  Stella  !  "  said  her  father's  voice,  and  she  turned 
with  a  scarcely  articulate  cry  of  "  Papa  !  " 

"  Your  mother  is  a  little  better,"  Mr.  Gordon 
said  at  once,  in  answer  to  the  unspoken  question 
in  her  eyes. 

"  Thank  God  !  "  she  exclaimed,  and  a  flood  of 
tears,  the  first  she  had  shed,  poured  suddenly 
down  her  cheeks.  But  she  controlled  herself 
almost  immediately  and  said: 

"  This  is  Mr.  Ingoldsby,  papa.    You  must  thank 
him  for  me,  he  has  been  so  very,  very  kind." 
14 


CHAPTER  XL 

LATE  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  before  Mrs. 
Gordon  was  driving  near  a  railway  track,  and  her 
horses,  which  were  young  and  not  thoroughly 
broken  to  the  sound  of  a  steam-whistle,  ran  away. 
Had  she  remained  quietly  in  her  seat  no  harm 
would  have  happened  to  her,  as  the  driver  soon 
succeeded  in  controlling  the  animals.  But  being 
alone  in  the  carriage  and  extremely  frightened, 
she  managed  to  open  the  door  and  throw  herself 
out. 

She  fell  heavily  to  the  ground,  striking  her 
head  against  the  sharp  edge  of  a  stone,  which  cut 
a  deep  gash  in  her  temple  near  the  artery,  causing 
profuse  loss  of  blood ;  added  to  which  one  of  her 
ankles  was  so  bruised  and  fractured  as  to  make  it 

a  question  with  the  medical  men  of  M ,  the 

principal  of  whom  were  soon  surrounding  her, 
whether  immediate  amputation  of  the  limb  was 
not  absolutely  necessary. 

Having  decided,  on  a  hasty  consultation  upon 
the  spot  where  the  accident  occurred,  to  defer  such 
an  extreme  measure,  for  the  time  at  least,  the  un- 
fortunate lady  was  conveyed  home  slowly  and 
with  great  difficulty.  It  was  not  considered  safe 
to  administer  an  ansesthetic,  and  hours  passed  be- 
(210) 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  211 

fore  she  could  be  brought  under  the  influence  of 
opium.  At  last,  however,  her  groans  of  agony 
ceased  to  rack  the  ear  of  her  husband,  and  then 
he  remembered  Stella. 

Just  as  the  thought  of  her  occurred  to  him  his 
sister-in-law,  Mrs.  Rainsforth,  laid  her  hand  on  his 
arm  and  said : 

"That  poor  child,  Roland!  Have  you  tele- 
graphed her  yet  ?  " 

"  No,  I  did  not  think  of  her  until  a  minute 
ago,"  he  answered.  "  I  will  ask  McDonald,  who 
is  going  home  for  an  hour  or  two,  to  call  at  the 
office  and  send  a  message.  If  it  is  too  late  for 
her  to  receive  it  in  time  to  take  the  night  train,  it 
will  be  delivered  very  early  in  the  morning." 

"  It  is  a  good  thing  that  she  has  escaped  all  she 
would  have  suffered  if  she  had  been  here  this 
evening,"  remarked  Mrs.  Rainsforth,  pressing  her 
handkerchief  to  her  eyes. 

"  Yes ;  I  am  glad  she  was  not  at  home,"  re- 
sponded Mr.  Gordon. 

Dr.  McDonald  went  farther  than  this  in  his  feeling 
on  the  subject  the  next  day.  He  wished  that  she 
had  not  been  permitted  to  come  home,  and 
bluntly  suggested  to  her  father  and  her  aunt  that 
she  should  be  sent  to  the  house  of  the  latter,  and 
kept  there,  he  added,  emphatically,  as  long  as 
Mrs.  Gordon  continued  in  her  present  critical 
state. 

"  I  have  no  patience  with  such  folly !  "  he  said 


212  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

angrily  to  Mrs.  Rainsforth,  as  they  stood  together 
beside  Stella's  bed  the  morning  after  her  return. 
"  If  she  don't  choose  to  make  herself  useful,  as 
she  ought,  she  might  at  least  keep  quiet  and  not 
be  distracting  your  attention  and  mine  from 
the  care  that  her  mother's  desperate  condition 
requires." 

"  Hush,  hush,  doctor ! "  said  his  companion  a 
little  indignantly.  "She  will  hear  you.  You 
must  remember  what  a  shock  it  was  to  her  to  find 
her  mother  in  such  a  state." 

Before  the  doctor  could  reply  Stella  opened  her 
eyes,  that  looked  large  and  hollow  out  of  a  face  as 
white  as  marble,  and  fixed  them  on  Mrs.  Rains- 
forth's.  "  O  Aunt  Isabella !  is  mamma  no  better  ?  " 
she  said  faintly. 

"  Not  much,  my  dear,"  replied  her  aunt,  pushing 
the  hair  back  gently  from  her  forehead ;  "  but  I 
hope  you  are.  Won't  you  try  and  take  some 
breakfast  this  morning  ?  " 

"Yes.  I  heard  what  Dr.  McDonald  said,"  she 
went  on  meekly.  "  I  suppose  I  ought  not  to  have 
been  so  weak — but — " 

"You  could  not  help  it,"  said  Mrs.  Rainsforth 
soothingly.  "  We  all  know  that." 

"  I  will  try  to — control  myself.  Can't  you  give 
me  something?"  she  asked,  looking  up  at  the  doc- 
tor wistfully.  "  I  feel  so  faint." 

"  I  will  send  you  a  draught,"  he  answered  un- 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  213 

graciously.  "  But  you  must  stop  crying,  and  take 
your  breakfast  if  you  want  to  gain  strength." 

"I  will,"  she  answered. 

"How  long  have  I  been  at  home?"  she  in- 
quired of  her  maid  presently  while  trying  to  take 
a  little  food.  "  Only  since  yesterday  morning ! 
It  seems  to  me  a  century  instead  of  twenty-four 
hours!" 

She  felt  as  if  she  was  in  a  horrible  dream.  All 
seemed  indistinct,  inconsistent,  incredible,  yet  she 
knew  it  was  a  monstrous  reality.  She  could  dimly 
recollect  having  made  a  terrible  scene  at  her 
mother's  bedside  when,  on  entering  the  darkened 
chamber,  she  had  found  Mrs.  Gordon  lying  color- 
less, motionless,  unconscious  of  her  presence, 
deaf  to  her  passionate  adjurations.  She  could  see 
as  through  a  mist  the  fiery  glance  of  Dr.  McDon- 
ald, and  feel  the  fierce  grip  of  his  bony  hands  as, 
seizing  her  by  the  shoulders,  he  forcibly  removed 
her  from  the  room,  asking  harshly,  while  hurrying 
her  along,  if  she  "  wanted  to  kill  her  mother," 
that  she  was  acting  in  this  irrational  manner! 
Then  came  a  succession  of  confused  memories  of 
having  been  rescued  from  the  irate  physician  by 
feminine  tongues  and  hands,  and,  with  much  ex- 
pression of  sympathy  and  no  slight  resistance  on 
her  part,  taken  to  her  own  room  ;  of  frantic  grief 
and  hysterical  weeping ;  of  her  father's  standing 
beside  her  with  a  glass  of  wine  which  he  insisted 
on  her  drinking,  and  which  turned  out  not  to  be 


£l4  BELLA'S 

wine  after  all  when  she  did  drink  it,  but  a  draught 
bitter  as  the  tears  she  was  shedding;  of  being 
very  sleepy  and  struggling  against  the  influence 
of  the  opiate  she  had  been  made  to  swallow ;  of 
waking  from  deep  unconsciousness  with  horrible 
sensations  of  nausea  and  exhaustion,  and  being 
sent  off  to  sleep  again  by  another  anodyne,  from 
which  sleep  she  was  now  just  awakened. 

Very  dark  to  Mrs.  Gordon's  household  were  the 
days  which  followed — days  lengthening  into  weeks, 
until  more  than  a  month  passed  before  the  physi- 
cians gave  any  definite  hope  that  her  life  was 
safe.; 

In  all  this  period  Stella,  having  once  recovered 
from  the  stupefaction  of  her  first  shock,  was  ca- 
pable and  energetic,  untiring  in  her  devotion  to 
her  mother  ;  for  the  first  time  in  her  life  for- 
getting herself  utterly  in  thought  for  the  suf- 
ferer. Anxious  waitings  for  the  appearance  of 
the  doctors,  solicitous  pains  in  the  preparation  of 
bandages,  and  all  the  numerous  cares  required  by 
desperate  illness  occupied  fully  each  minute  as  it 
came  and  went ;  and  when  she  could  snatch  a  few 
hours  for  sleep  at  irregular  intervals  overwearied 
nature  sank  at  once  into  dreamless  and  refreshing 
slumber. 

But  after  the  crisis  was  past,  when  the  medi- 
cal opinion  pronounced  that  the  danger  was 
over,  that  time,  care,  and  patience  would  restore 
to  Mrs.  Gordon  the  use  of  her  ankle  and  re- 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  215 

establish  her  general  health  (which  was  very 
much  deranged  by  the  shock  to  her  nerves  and 
the  quantities  of  opium  she  had  been  obliged  to 
take),  then  came  to  Stella  the  inevitable  reaction 
after  such  unusual  and  prolonged  exertion — 
bodily  exhaustion  and  a  listlessness  of  spirit 
amounting  almost  to  despair. 

Worldly,  shallow,  and  selfish  when  in  health, 
Mrs.  Gordon  was  intolerably  irritable,  egotistical, 
and  exacting  now.  She  demanded  constant 
amusement,  yet  was  capricious  and  hard  to  please 
about  it ;  and  she  resented  as  an  outrage  and 
cruelty  the  slightest  contradiction  of  her  will  or 
opinion.  Still  suffering  severely,  it  seemed  as  if 
she  was  determined  that  every  one  around  her 
should,  though  in  a  different  way,  suffer  also. 

Stella's  patience  and  temper  were  sorely  tried. 
The  change  from  a  life  of  absolute  freedom  and 
unchecked  indulgence  to  what  she  felt  a  galling 
bondage,  this  subjection  to  the  fretful  caprices  of 
her  mother,  had  been  so  sudden  that  she  often 
asked  herself  how  it  could  be  possible  that  she, 
Stella,  the  petted  and  spoiled  child,  whose  every 
whim  was  wont  to  be  gratified  as  soon  as  ex- 
pressed, should  have  fallen  on  such  evil  days ! 
She  was  weary  even  unto  death  of  the  existence 
that  had  closed  around  her ;  and  nothing  but  a 
vivid  remembrance  of  the  remorse  she  had  al- 
ready endured  for  her  conduct  to  her  mother  en- 
abled her  to  support  it  uncomplainingly. 


216  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

But  when  at  length  Mrs.  Gordon  finding  her 
unquestioningly  submissive  in  everything  else, 
began  to  agitate  the  subject  of  Mr.  Gartrell's 
suit — evidently  expecting  submission  here,  too — 
Stella's  spirit  revived  and  asserted  itself. 

"  If  you  think  it  likely,  as  you  say,  mamma, 
that  Mr.  Gartrell  has  any  idea  of  offering  him- 
self again,  it  would  be  an  act  of  friendship  in 
you,  who  seem  to  have  so  great  a  regard  for 
him,  to  warn  him  not  to  think  of  it,"  she  said 
one  day  in  reply  to  some  suggestion  on  the  sub- 
ject from  her  mother. 

"  But  why  ?  "  cried  Mrs.  Gordon  sharply.  "  You 
cannot  possibly  expect  ever  to  make  a  more  ad- 
vantageous marriage." 

This  was  an  argument  that  had  been  so  often 
repeated  that  Stella's  patience  was  threadbare  at 
the  sound.  A  spark  of  vivid  anger  leapt  to  her 
eyes,  and  bitter  words  were  on  her  lips,  when 
the  entrance  of  a  visitor — a  kindly  gossip  who 
pleased  herself  and  lightened  the  tedium  of  Mrs. 
Gordon's  sick-room  by  coming  often  to  sit  with 
her — prevented  the  threatened  explosion  of  wrath. 
Heartily  glad  of  the  respite  afforded  by  Mrs. 
Austin's  presence,  Stella  hurried  to  her  own  room 
and  sat  down  to  think. 

"  This  is  but  the  beginning,"  she  said  to  herself. 
"  It  will  go  on  and  on  interminably,  I  know. 
And  am  I  sure  that  I  shall  have  the  resolution  to 
resist  the  constant  persecution  I  must  expect? 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  217 

I  feel  angry  now  and  quite  capable  of  defiance ; 
but  I  am  afraid  it  may  be  with  this  as  it  has 
been  with  so  many  other  things  lately.  I  grow 
so  tired  of  being  always  on  the  defensive,  always 
on  a  strain  of  resistance.  After  all,  my  temper  is 
not  so  bad  as  it  used  to  seem.  I  find  it  easier  to 
yield  a  point  than  to  take  the  trouble  to  contest 
it.  If  I  had  ever  been  taught  how  to  control  my- 
self I  j^think  I  might  have  been  different  always. 
But  it  is  too  late  now  to  regret  what  is  past. 
There  is  no  good  in  thinking  of  it." 

She  rose  abruptly,  went  to  a  set  of  bookshelves, 
and  began  carelessly  to  look  for  something  to  read. 
Chance,  perhaps — or  perhaps  her  guardian  angel 
— directed  her  attention  to  a  small  black  volume 
which  she  had  not  seen  for  some  time,  the  very 
existence  of  which,  in  fact,  she  had  forgotten.  It 
had  been  thrust  back  to  the  wall  out  of  sight,  on 
the  top  of  some  larger  books,  in  taking  out  one  of 
which  it  was  displaced  and  fell  to  the  floor  at  her 
feet. 

As  she  stooped  to  pick  it  up  her  heart  gave  a 
quick,  painful  bound.  It  was  a  Manual  of  Devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart,  which  had  been  given  to 
her  by  Southgate. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

LATTERLY  her  mind  had  been  so  fully  occupied 
with  other  things  that  she  had  thought  of  South- 
gate  rarely  if  at  all.  But  a  throng  of  recollec- 
tions crowded  on  her  now.  How  well  she  remem- 
bered the  expression  of  his  face,  the  intonations 
of  his  voice,  the  very  words  he  had  spoken,  when 
he  gave  the  little  Manual  to  her,  and  begged  her 
to  use  it  and  to  try  to  realize  that  there  was 
another  world  than  this  which  alone  seemed  to 
engross  her  thoughts !  How  earnestly  he  had 
endeavored  to  rouse  her  to  some  sense  of  devotion, 
some  recognition  of  the  fact  that  she  possessed  a 
soul !  And  how  signally  he  had  failed  in  the  at- 
tempt, seemingly  ! 

Had  he  really  failed  ?  "  Tfiat  which  thou  sowest 
is  not  quickened  except  it  die  first"  said  the  great 
Apostle  of  the  Gentiles.  The  seed  so  laboriously 
cast  upon  a  soil  which  had  never  been  loosened  by 
early  culture  lay  dead  until  the  ploughshare  of 
affliction  passed  and  broke  the  crust  of  selfishness 
that  made  the  surface  of  Stella's  character.  But 
when  her  thoughts  were  drawn  from  the  sole  con- 
sideration of  her  own  wishes,  will,  and  pleasure 
by  grief  at  her  mother's  accident  and  sympathy 
with  the  suffering  it  entailed,  the  apparently  life- 
(218) 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  219 

less  germs  became  vivified,  and  slowly,  impercep- 
tibly even  to  herself,  they  had  been  growing. 

She  had  often  found  in  the  atmosphere  of  her 
lover's  presence  a  certain  calm  of  spirit  which  she 
attributed  at  the  time  to  the  pleasure  that  his  pres- 
ence gave  her,  but  which  now  she  began  to  under- 
stand was  the  reflected  tranquillity  of  a  soul 
unruffled  by  worldly  thoughts  and  interests. 
"  Oh ! "  was  the  aspiration  of  her  soul  at  this 
moment,  "  for  one  hour  of  that  calm,  that  peace, 
which  she  had  known  for  so  short  a  time,  but 
remembered  with  such  inexpressible  longing." 
Sitting  down,  she  opened  the  Manual  at  the  first 
fly-leaf,  on  which  she  knew  Southgate  had  written 
her  name.  She  wanted  some  tangible  association 
to  bring  him,  as  it  were,  close  to  her — not  as  a 
lover,  but  as  an  influence,  a  guide  to  her  tired 
spirit.  Beneath  her  name  and  the  date  appended 
was  transcribed  a  verse  from  Isaias,  to  which  he 
had  directed  her  attention,  she  recollected. 

"  Is  it  not  beautiful  ?  "  he  said. 

" '  A  man  shall  be  as  when  one  is  hid  from  the 
wind,  and  hideth  himself  from  the  storm;  as  rivers 
of  waters  in  drought,  and  the  shadow  of  a  rock  that 
standeth  out  in  a  desert  land,'  "  she  read  aloud. 
Then,  after  a  momentary  pause,  "  Very  beautiful, 
very  poetical,"  she  replied.  "But  to  tell  you  the 
truth,  Edward,  I  do  not  quite  understand  its  sig- 
nificance." 

"  Is  it  possible  you  do  not ! "  Southgate  had  ex- 


220  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

claimed,  with  such  a  shocked  expression  of  coun- 
tenance that  she  laughed  heartily. 

Looking  at  this  magnificent  prophecy  now,  she 
not  only  understood  but  felt  it  deeply.  As  sud- 
denly as  the  rays  of  the  sun  flash  over  the  earth 
when  day  dawns  in  the  tropics,  the  light  of  faith 
illuminated  her  hitherto  unenlightened  mind. 
She  prayed  that  night  before  she  slept,  not  merely 
with  her  lips  but  with  her  heart ;  the  next  morn- 
ing she  rose  and  went  to  early  Mass  ;  in  the  after- 
noon she  went  to  the  priest.  In  a  word,  she 
became  from  this  time  in  reality  what  before  she 
had  been  in  name  only — a  Catholic. 

The  change  in  her  was  very  great.  She  grew 
gentle  and  patient  in  manner,  quiet  and  resolute 
in  character,  habitually  cheerful  instead  of  capri- 
ciously gay. 

But  though  noticeable  from  the  first,  the  trans- 
formation was  gradual.  The  science  of  the  saints 
is  not  acquired  in  a  day.  It  is  with  pain  and 
struggle  that  the  soul  casts  off  the  habits  and 
tramples  upon  the  impulses  of  the  natural  man. 
Like  a  child's  first  tottering  attempts  to  walk,  or 
the  faltering  steps  of  one  who  has  been  ill  almost 
unto  death,  are  the  first  efforts  of  a  newly -awak- 
ened conscience  in  the  paths  of  holiness.  Spirit 
and  flesh  are  at  war,  and  sometimes  the  one  and 
sometimes  the  other  gains  a  momentary  advantage. 

Thus  it  was  with  Stella.  There  were  brief  sea- 
sons when  she  was  ineffably  calm  and  happy ;  but 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  221 

oftener  she  was  all  but  despairing,  all  but  inclined 
to  turn  from  the  narrow,  rugged,  steeply  ascend- 
ing path  which  bruised  and  wounded  her  silken- 
sandalled  feet  to  the  broad,  smooth  way  that 
sloped  so  gently  downward  and  was  so  familiar  to 
her  tread.  One  thing  by  which  she  was  particu- 
larly discouraged  was  her  disinclination  to  devo- 
tional practices  and  reading.  She  was  subject  to 
constant  distractions  during  prayer  and  medita- 
tion, and  even  while  assisting  at  the  Holy  Sacri- 
fice. 

"You  need  not  be  discouraged  by  this,"  her 
confessor  said  when  she  laid  her  trouble  before 
him,  "or  at  all  surprised.  Read  the  lives  of  the 
saints  and  you  will  find  that  on  the  road  to  per- 
fection of  life,  as  in  everything  else,  the  first  steps 
are  always  the  hardest.  Have  patience,  and  the 
way  will  grow  more  easy  and  your  strength  will 
increase.  If  you  encounter  no  difficulties  where 
would  be  your  merit  ?  You  must  distinguish,  too, 
between  wilful  transgressions  and  those  errors  and 
shortcomings  which  result  from  our  natural  human 
infirmity.  Call  upon  Our  Lady  for  her  all-powerful 
help.  Even  among  the  saints  her  special  clients 
are  pre-eminent  in  holiness.  I  think  you  told  me 
that  you  have  The  Spiritual  Combat  ?  Well,  it  is 
exactly  what  you  need.  Study  it  daily.  Most  of 
all,  remember  the  dream  of  St.  Simeon  Stylites. 
Dig  deep,  deep,  deep  your  foundation  of  hu- 
mility." 


222  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

Reassured  and  reanimated  by  such  counsels  as 
these,  Stella  pressed  on  with  fervor  in  her  spir- 
itual life.  But  many  times  she  found  the  cross 
very  heavy. 

So  long  as  Mrs.  Gordon  was  confined  to  her  own 
room,  and  obliged  to  restrict  herself,  as  regarded 
social  amusements,  within  certain  limits  laid  down 
by  her  autocrat  for  the  time,  Dr.  McDonald,  mat- 
ters were  not  so  bad.  She  had  lady  friends  in 
numbers,  and,  for  a  part  of  each  day  at  least, 
Stella  was  relieved  by  some  visitor  from  the  duty 
of  entertaining  the  exigent  invalid.  But  the  mo- 
ment that  it  was  possible  for  her  to  be  moved — 
even  before  she  could  help  herself  by  the  aid  of 
crutches — she  migrated  to  the  back  drawing- 
room,  which  she  had  caused  to  be  fitted  up  tem- 
porarily as  a  chamber.  Here,  reclining  on  a  sofa 
placed  immediately  before  the  folding-doors  that 
opened  into  the  front  drawing-room,  and  flanked 
by  an  immense  cretonne  screen,  she  received  all 

the  world  of  M (all  her  world),  individually 

and  collectively,  with  rapturous  delight  at  her 
emancipation  from  what  she  called  her  late  soli- 
tary confinement.  And  unsparing  as  her  demands 
upon  Stella's  time  and  attention  had  been  from 
the  first,  she  was  now,  if  possible,  more  unreason- 
able than  ever  in  requiring  her  constant  presence. 
The  motive  of  this  soon  became  obvious.  Among 
her  earliest  and  most  frequent  visitors  was  Mr. 
Gartrell ;  and  Stella  found  herself  the  victim  of  a 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  223 

tacit  conspiracy  between  her  mother  and  this  per- 
tinacious suitor  to  commit  her  to  an  apparently 
voluntary  acceptance  of  his  attentions  again. 

Miss  Gordon's  health  was  suffering,  he  feared, 
for  want  of  exercise ;  she  was  looking  pale,  he  was 
sorry  to  perceive,  Mr.  Gartrell  said,  with  respect- 
ful interest,  the  first  day  he  was  admitted  to  a 
personal  interview  with  Mrs.  Gordon,  at  which 
interview  Miss  Gordon  was  compelled  most  un- 
willingly to  assist.  Might  he  be  permitted  to 
suggest  a  drive  ?  His  horses  were  at  the  gate ; 
would  not  Mrs.  Gordon  support  his  position  by  her 
influence  ? 

Mrs.  Gordon  smiled  graciously. 

"By  all  means  go,  Stella,"  she  said.  "A 
breath  of  fresh  air  will  do  you  good.  Put  on  your 
things  and  go  at  once,  my  dear,  while  it  is  early 
and  the  sun  is  warm." 

But  Stella  excused  herself.  "  You  are  very 
kind,  but  I  assure  you  my  health  is  not  suffering," 
she  said  to  Mr.  Gartrell ;  "  and  " — turning  to  Mrs. 
Gordon — "  if  you  can  spare  me,  mamma,  I  will  go 
and  answer  some  letters  that  have  been  haunting 
me  for  a  week  past." 

She  had  to  encounter  a  storm  from  her  mother 
on  Gartrell's  departure,  and  many  succeeding 
storms  as  the  days  and  weeks  dragged  on  without 
that  gentleman's  making  any  progress  whatever  in 
her  favor.  He  was  as  much  in  earnest  in  his  de- 
termination to  win  his  suit  as  Mrs.  Gordon  could  pos- 


224  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

sibly  desire.  But  he  did  not  make  himself  in  the 
least  disagreeable  in  consequence.  After  receiving 
one  or  two  distant  rebuffs  he  let  Stella  alone,  to  all 
appearance.  He  discontinued  asking  her  to  ride 
or  drive,  he  never  joined  her  if  he  met  her  walk- 
ing, yet  at  the  same  time  managed  to  convey  to 
her,  by  a  certain  tone  of  manner  imperceptible  to 
any  one  but  herself,  the  expression  of  his  unal- 
terable resolve  to  make  her  his  wife  in  the  end. 

Meanwhile  his  regard  for  Mrs.  Gordon  mani- 
fested itself  almost  daily  in  the  elegant  forms  of 
flowers,  fruits,  books,  or  more  substantially  in  fish 
and  game.  And  that  lady,  deeply  touched  by 
these  evidences  of  his  eligibility  as  a  son-in-law, 
was  in  despair  and  in  rage  at  her  daughter's  ob- 
stinate folly  in  having  lost,  as  she  supposed,  such 
a  parti. 

Naturally  she  attributed  this  folly  on  Stella's 
part  to  a  lingering  regard  for  her  faithless  lover — 
it  was  by  that  title  that  Mrs.  Gordon  was  in  the 
habit  of  designating  Southgate  in  her  frequent 
allusions  to  him]  and  the  Catholic  faith  was  so 
inseparably  associated  with  Southgate  that  her 
dislike  to  him  soon  began  to  cause  with  her  a  feel- 
ing of  enmity  toward  the  church  strongly  in  con- 
trast to  the  passive  good-will  she  had  heretofore 
entertained  toward  it.  The  change  in  Stella  from 
frivolous  worldliness  to  earnest  piety  vexed  and 
disgusted  her  beyond  measure ;  and  she  never  let 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  225 

pass  an  opportunity  to  express  her  opinion  on  the 
subject,  either  privately  or  publicly. 

She  supposed,  she  said  dryly  one  day  when, 
Mrs.  Allen,  Gartrell,  and  two  or  three  other 
people  chanced  to  meet  at  one  of  her  informal 
afternoon  receptions,  or  "teas,"  as  she  called 
them  after  the  English  fashion — she  supposed 
Farther  Darcy  disapproved  of  social  amusement 
in  any  form,  as  Stella  had  quite  dropped  out  of 
the  world  since  she  put  herself  under  his  "  direc- 
tion "  as  (pronouncing  the  last  word  with  empha- 
sis), she  believed  it  was  called. 

"  Oh !  I  am  sure  Father  Darcy  has  nothing  to 
do  with  Stella's  remaining  at  home,"  said  Mrs. 
Allen,  who  had  brought  this  animadversion  on  her 
young  friend  by  scolding  her  for  not  going  out 
more.  "  She  was  too  good  a  child  to  leave  you 
when  you  were  so  ill,  and  one  could  not  expect  it 
of  her.  But  now  that  you  are  almost  well  again, 
and  do  not,  I  suppose,  need  her  to  read  to  you  at 
night,  she  ought  not  to  forget  the  rest  of  the 
world  entirely.  I  hope,  my  dear,"  she  added, 
turning  to  Stella,  "that  I  shall  see  you  at  my 
soire'e  to-morrow  night.  We  have  missed  you 
very  much  all  this  long  time  that  you  have  been 
absent." 

"I  will  come,  thanks,  with  pleasure,"  said 
Stella  pleasantly.  She  felt  inclined  to  laugh  at 
the  discomfiture  visible  in  her  mother's  counte- 
nance at  having  had  the  tables  completely  turned 
15 


226  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

upon  her  ;  for  Mrs.  Allen's  friendly  reproaches  in 
the  first  place  had  beeh  directed  much  more 
against  Mrs.  Gordon  than  herself,  the  selfishness 
of  that  lady  in  keeping  her  daughter  in  such  close 
attendance  on  her  being  generally  talked  of  and 
condemned. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"I  FEEL  as  if  it  was  selfish  to  leave  you, 
mamma,"  said  Stella  the  next  evening,  entering 
her  mother's  room  after  she  was  dressed  for  Mrs. 
Allen's  soiree.  "  I  think  I  will  write  an  apolo — " 

"  Nonsense  ! "  interrupted  Mrs.  Gordon  lan- 
guidly. "  There  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not 
go.  The  McDonalds  and  your  father  will  be 
here  presently  to  play  whist." 

And  in  fact,  as  she  spoke,  Dr.  McDonald  and 
his  wife  were  ushered  in,  Mr.  Gordon  making  his 
appearance  an  instant  later. 

After  salutations  and  inquiries  had  been  ex- 
changed the  whist-table  was  wheeled  to  the  side 
of  the  invalid's  sofa,  seats  were  arranged,  and  the 
rugged  face  of  the  doctor  looked  almost  benign  as 
he  shuffled  the  cards,  and,  casting  for  deal,  had 
the  pleasure  of  finding  that  fortune  favored  him- 
self. While  his  great  brown  hand  flashed  round 
and  round  in  a  short  circle,  dealing  with  great 
rapidity,  his  wife's  eyes  followed  Stella,  who, 
having  seen  her  mother's  comfort  and  amusement 
for  the  evening  thus  secured,  was  leaving  the 
room. 

There  was  something  of  compassion  as  well  as 
admiration  in  Mrs.  McDonald's  kindly  gaze  ;  and 

(227) 


228  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

Mr.  Gordon,  glancing  up  by  accident,  caught  the 
expression  and  involuntarily  turned  to  see  what 
had  caused  it. 

For  the  first  time  then  he  noticed  that  Stella, 
as  Gartrell  had  remarked,  looked  pale  and — as 
Gartrell  had  not  remarked — a  little  thin  ;  and  for 
the  first  time  it  occurred  to  him  with  a  sense  of 
self-reproach  that  her  health  had  suffered  from 
her  long  and  fatiguing  attendance  upon  her 
mother. 

"  I  ought  to  have  paid  some  attention  to  this," 
he  thought,  and  beginning  to  consider  what  he 
could  do  to  correct  the  evil,  was  so  preoccupied 
in  mind  during  the  first  game  that  was  played  as 
to  excite  the  wonder  and  dissatisfaction  of  his 
wife  and  the  doctor  ;  perceiving  which  he  put  the 
matter  out  of  his  thoughts  for  the  time  and 
applied  himself  to  his  cards. 

But  he  did  not  forget  it,  and  a  second  examina- 
tion of  Stella's  face  at  the  breakfast-table  the 
next  morning  added  to  his  concern. 

"  What  are  you  looking  at,  papa  ?  "  she  said  at 
last  with  a  half-laugh,  observing  that  his  eye 
rested  on  her  face  again  and  again  with  an  ex- 
pression of  grave  scrutiny.  "Is  anything  the 
matter  with  my  face  or  my  dress  ?  " 

She  glanced  down  over  her  person  while  speak- 
ing. 

"  Yes,"  answered  her  father,  smiling  lightly  as 
he  saw  her  look  of  rather  startled  surprise  at  this 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  229 

reply.  "  Your  face  is  much  paler  than  it  ought  to 
be,  and  your  dress  is  a  little  loose  on  you,  I 
observe.  You  have  lost  flesh." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  she  said  lightly.  "  It  is  nothing 
to  look  grave  about." 

"  You  have  been  too  closely  confined  to  the 
house  and  have  endured  too  much  fatigue  since 
your  mother's  accident,"  Mr.  Gordon  went  on. 
"  I  am  afraid  your  health  has  suffered." 

"Not  at  all,  I  assure  you,  papa." 

"  You  feel  quite  well?  " 

"  Perfectly  well." 

"  Yet  it  seems  to  me  that,  in  addition  to  your 
pallid  looks,  you  move  languidly.  I  noticed  this 
last  night,  and  again  when  you  came  down-stairs 
awhile  ago." 

"  I  have  felt  a  little  languid  lately,  since  the 
change  of  season.  But  I  am  not  alone  in  that. 
Everybody  is  feeling  the  enervating  effect  of  the 
spring  temperature." 

Mr.  Gordon  was  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  then 
resumed  : 

"  You  need  change  of  air,  and  rest,"  he  said 
decidedly. 

"It  is  impossible  that  I  can  leave  mamma," 
Stella  answered.  "  Please  don't  say  anything 
about  it,  papa.  Indeed  I  am  quite  well." 

"  You  may  be  so  at  present,  but  you  will  not 
remain  well  if  such  an  unaccustomed  strain  upon 


230  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

your  strength  continues  much  longer.  I  must  find 
some  way  of  putting  a  stop  to  it." 

"  I  beg  that  you  will  not  say  anything  to  mamma 
on  the  subject ! "  said  Stella  earnestly,  looking 
quite  distressed.  "  Pray  do  not,  papa  !  " 

"  Since  you  request  it,  I  will  not,"  he  answered. 
"  But  I  cannot  permit  such  a  state  of  affairs  to  go 
on.  Think  of  it  and  see  if  you  can  suggest  a 
remedy.  Meanwhile  I  will  talk  to  the  doctor 
about  it." 

The  opportunity  to  do  this  occurred  sooner  than 
he  expected.  He  had  scarcely  entered  the  pri- 
vate room  of  his  law-office  on  going  down-street 
that  morning,  and  had  not  settled  himself  to  work, 
but  was  still  thinking  of  Stella's  pale  face  and 
languid  eyes,  when  one  of  his  clerks  knocked  at 
the  door  and  informed  him  that  Dr.  McDonald 
wished  to  speak  to  him. 

"I  was  just  wishing  to  speak  to  you"  he  said, 
as  the  doctor  entered  and  shut  the  door.  "  Sit 
down.  Nothing  is  the  matter,  I  hope  ?  " 

"  No,  not  exactly.  Would  it  be  very  inconven- 
ient to  you  to  leave  home  for  six  months  or  a 
year  ?  " 

Mr.  Gordon  seemed  as  much  surprised  as  it  was 
possible  for  a  man  so  dignified  and  self-contained 
to  look.  "  It  would  be  inconvenient,  certainly," 
he  answered  after  a  momentary  pause,  "  but  in  a 
case  of  necessity  I  could  disregard  that." 

"  I  think  it  would  be  well,  then.,  for  you  to  take 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  231 

Mrs.  Gordon  and  Miss  Stella  to  spend  the  ap- 
proaching summer  in  Switzerland  or  the  Bavarian 
Highlands,  and  the  winter  in  France  or  Italy." 

"  But  is  Mrs.  Gordon  in  a  condition  to  under- 
take such  a  journey  ? "  his  hearer  asked  doubt- 
fully. "  She  has  scarcely  left  her  sofa  yet,  and 
don't  seem  to  be  able  to  do  much  in  the  way  of 
walking,  even  across  the  room,  with  her  crutch." 

"There  it  is!"  said  the  doctor.  "She  will 
never  learn  to  use  her  crutch  and  move  about 
enough  to  regain  her  strength  unless  she  has  a 
motive  for  exertion — is,  in  a  manner,  compelled  to 
exert  herself.  It  won't  do  for  her  to  remain  in 
this  climate  during  the  summer  ;  and  I  have  been 
trying  for  some  time  past  to  think  where  she  had 
better  go.  Now,  there  is  nothing  like  an  ocean 
voyage  to  restore  tone  and  vigor  to  an  impaired 
constitution.  I  thought  of  the  Bermudas.  But 
it  is  easier  to  go  to  Europe  than  to  get  there  ; 
and,  in  fact,  it  would  be  better  in  every  way — 
with  the  advantage,  too,  that  it  would  do  Miss 
Stella  as  much  good  as  her  mother." 

"  Ah  !  Stella,"  said  Mr.  Gordon  quickly  ;  "  I 
was  intending  to  consult  you  about  her.  I  am 
not  very  observant,  or  I  should  have  noticed  be- 
fore last  night  how  thin  and  pale  she  is  looking. 
Her  strength  has  been  overtasked." 

"  A  little,  perhaps,  but  not  seriously.  Still,  it 
would  be  well  to  give  her  relaxation  in  time; 
and  this  plan  I  propose  seems  to  me  the  best 


232  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

thing  that  could  be  done,  if  Mrs.  Gordon  will 
consent  to  it." 

u  Have  you  spoken  to  her  on  the  subject  ?  What 
does  she  think  of  it  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  have  not  mentioned  it  to  her  yet.  I 
thought  I  would  first  speak  to  you." 

"Ascertain  what  she  thinks  of  it.  I  suppose 
you  will  see  her  this  morning  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  am  on  my  way  now  to  your  house." 

"  Very  well.  If  she  will  go,  settle  with  her 
what  time  it  is  likely  she  may  be  able  to  travel, 
and  I  will  make  my  arrangements  accordingly." 

Though  it  was,  as  he  had  said,  inconvenient  to 
him  to  leave  home,  Mr.  Gordon,  having  made  up 
his  mind  to  do  so,  was  more  and  more  pleased 
with  Dr.  McDonald's  suggestion  the  more  he 
thought  of  it.  To  have  an  ailing,  fretful  wife  was 
new  and  not  at  all  agreeable  to  him,  and  the  re- 
establishment  of  her  health  was  an  object  for 
which  he  was  glad  to  make  any  sacrifice.  In  ad- 
dition to  this  he  felt  that  Stella's  health  certainly 
needed  attention,  and  would,  the  doctor  assured 
him,  be  greatly  benefited  by  the  voyage  ;  and  for 
himself,  he  was  not  disinclined  to  a  temporary 
change  from  his  usual  laborious  life. 

Somewhat  to  his  surprise  he  found,  on  going 
home,  that  neither  Mrs.  Gordon  nor  Stella  re- 
garded  the  scheme  favorably.  The  first  was  sub- 
dued  to  reluctant  acquiescence  by  the  doctor's 
strenuous,  in  fact  peremptory,  arguments  ;  and 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  233 

Stella,  in  consequence  to  the  medical  dictum  that 
change  not  only  of  air  but  of  continent  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  the  recovery  of  her  mother's 
health,  refrained  from  the  expression  of  her  opin- 
ion. But  the  feelings  of  both  were  exceedingly 
opposed  to  the  idea  of  going  to  Europe,  and, 
strange  to  say,  for  the  same  reason — an  apprehen- 
sion, in  the  first  place,  of  meeting  Southgate,  and, 
in  the  second  place,  of  being  suspected  of  going 
there  to  meet  him. 

Mrs.  Gordon  was  silent  as  to  this  reason  and  its 
corollary — despair  of  ever  obtaining  Gartrell  as  a 
son-in-law  ;  but  when  Mr.  Gordon  requested 
Stella  to  tell  him  why  she  seemed  so  averse  to  the 
plan  proposed  by  Dr.  McDonald  she  replied  frankly 
and  truthfully. 

"  I  scarcely  think  Mr.  Southgate  himself  would 
think  anything  of  the  kind  ;  he  is  not  a  vain  man," 
she  added,  seeing  by  the  expression  of  her  father's 
face  that  he  considered  this  objection  reasonless. 
"But  I  am  sure  the  gossips  here  will  make  ill-na- 
tured remarks ;  and  I  am  coward  enough,  I  con- 
fess, to  shrink  from  giving  them  the  opportun- 
ity." 

"  But  I  suppose  you  would  not  think  it  well  to 
sacrifice  the  restoration  of  your  mother's  health 
to  this  fear  of  gossip  ?  "  said  Mr.  Gordon. 

"  No,  certainly  not,  papa.  You  know  I  have 
not  said  a  word  voluntarily  on  the  subject.  You 
asked  the  point-blank  question  why  I  did  not  like 


234  STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE. 

the  idea  of  going,  and  I  could  only  tell  the 
truth." 

"  Is  this  your  only  objection  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Otherwise  I  should  be  delighted  at  the 
prospect." 

"  You  may  set  your  mind  at  rest,  then,  about 
the  gossip  you  are  afraid  of.  Southgate  will  not 
be  in  Europe  when  we  get  there  or  while  we  are 
there.  He  has  already  gone  to  Jerusalem  to  spend 
Lent,  and  intends  remaining  in  the  East  two  or 
three  years." 

"  Ah !  "  said  Stella  in  a  tone  of  evident  relief. 
"  I  am  glad  of  that,  if  you  are  sure  that  it  is  so." 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  it.  I  met  Brant- 
ford  Townsley  this  morning  with  a  letter  in  his 
hand  which  he  had  just  received  from  Southgate, 
who  was  starting  for  Jerusalem  the  day  he  wrote." 

"I  am  very  glad,"  said  Stella  again.  "And 
when  shall  we  start,  papa?  " 

Her  face  was  quite  bright  now. 

"  As  soon  as  your  mother  is  able  to  travel.  The 
doctor  thinks  she  will  be  well  enough  in  six 
weeks  to  undertake  the  voyage.  That  will  bring 
us  to  the  first  of  May — a  very  good  season  for 
crossing  the  ocean." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

DR.  McDoNALD  was  mistaken  in  thinking  that 
he  could  either  convince  or  persuade  Mrs.  Gordon 
to  believe  herself  well  enough  to  travel  by  the  first 
of  May.  The  summer  solstice  was  fast  approach- 
ing before  the  weary  task  of  combating  her  objec- 
tions and  satisfying  her  requirements  in  the  way 
of  preparation  was  accomplished  and  the  voyage 
begun  ;  and  the  last  sun  of  June  was  blazing  in 
the  heavens  as  Stella  sat  one  afternoon  on  the 
deck  of  the  steamer  that  for  nearly  a  fortnight 
had  been  terra  firma  to  her  and  many  others,  and, 
with  sensations  too  mingled  and  too  strong  for  ut- 
terance, looked  over  the  limitless  expanse  of  glit- 
tering blue  water  around.  Far  away  on  the  scarce 
discernible  verge  of  the  horizon,  where  sea  and 
sky  melted  together,  lay  a  faint,  very  faint  white 
line,  to  the  eye  hardly  more  than  a  point.  This, 
she  was  told,  was  the  Irish  coast. 

Her  father  and  several  of  their  fellow  passen- 
gers had  just  left  the  deck,  after  welcoming  with 
rejoicing  the  first  sight  of  land ;  but  she  remained, 
and  was  glad  to  be  alone.  She  was  so  young  that 
history,  in  the  pages  of  which  she  had  so  lately 
been  living,  was,  with  all  its  actors  and  tragedies, 
as  vividly  familiar  and  real  to  her  as  the  events  of 

(235) 


236  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

yesterday  are  to  older  people — people  to  whom 
years  and  the  memories  of  their  own  lives  have 
dimmed  the  enthusiasms  of  youth,  and  even  the 
very  recollection  of  the  lives  that  went  before 
them.  What  a  host  of  shadows  gathered  about 
her,  as,  leaning  back  in  her  deck-chair,  her  gaze 
fastened  itself  on  that  little,  vapor-like  speck 
which  was  imperceptibly  enlarging  and  growing 
more  distinct  while  she  gazed !  She  could  not 
have  put  into  words — words  that  would  not  have 
seemed  tame  and  altogether  unworthy  their  theme 
— one  of  the  thoughts  that  were  crowding  on  her. 
Only  the  inspiration  of  the  poet  can  analyze  and 
clothe  in  language  emotions  which  less  gifted  souls 
feel— it  might  almost  be  said  suffer — but  cannot 
express.  Stella  sat  dumb  and  motionless.  The 
grand  Old  World  of  story  and  of  song  was  here, 
in  her  very  sight.  All  its  mighty  past  lay  spread 
out,  as  it  were,  like  a  map  before  her  imagination. 

She  was  startled  suddenly  by  a  voice  at  her 
side. 

"  Dinner  is  ready,"  said  her  father,  offering  his 
arm  to  take  her  in. 

"I  do  not  care  for  dinner,  papa,"  she  answered. 
"I  would  rather  stay  here,  if  you  will  tell  the 
steward  to  send  me  a  sandwich  and  glass  of 
wine." 

"Come  to  the  table,"  insisted  Mr.  Gordon. 
"  The  Isle  of  Saints  will  not  vanish  while  you  are 
away,"  he  added,  with  a  smile.  "  On  the  con- 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  237 

trary,  we  shall  be  an  hour  nearer  to  it  when  you 
return,  and  you  will  be  able  to  see  it  more  clearly 
than  you  do  now." 

"  I  hate  to  lose  one  moment  of  such  an  evening 
and  such  a  view  as  this,"  she  said,  but  rose  from 
her  seat  while  speaking.  "  I  do  believe  you  are 
a  devout  Catholic  at  heart,  papa,"  she  continued, 
as  they  turned  to  leave  the  deck,  "  though  you 
don't  seem  so." 

"  At  heart  I  am  certainly  a  Catholic,"  he  an- 
swered seriously.  "  It  is  only  in  practice  that  I 
am  not  one." 

"And  is  that  right?"  asked  Stella  gently. 
"  I  have  often  been  tempted  to  speak  to  you  on 
the  subject,  papa,  but  hesitated,  I  scarcely  know 
why.  But  the  first  sightof  Ireland  ought  to  inspire 
one  not  only  with  devotion  but  with  courage  to 
do  anything  for  God.  You  have  always  confessed 
your  faith ;  why  don't  }^ou  practise  it,  dear  papa?  " 
Perhaps  Mr.  Gordon  was  not  sorry  to  be  spared 
the  necessity  of  answering  this  question.  They 
entered  the  saloon  at  the  moment,  and  nothing 
more  was  said  on  the  subject.  When  they  rose 
from  the  table  he  conducted  Stella  back  to  her 
seat  on  deck,  and  then  returned  to  the  saloon  for 
dutiful  attendance  on  his  wife  and  her  whist- 
table. 

The  Isle  of  Saints  had,  in  nautical  phrase,  risen 
a  little  out  of  the  water  when  Stella's  eyes  turned 
to  it  again  after  her  absence  of  an  hour  from  the 


238  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

deck.  A  good  many  people  besides  herself  were 
now  gathered  there,  watching  the  land  they  were 
approaching,  as  it  became  more  and  more  distinct 
to  view  in  the  glorified  atmosphere  which  the 
sun's  parting  rays  were  pouring  over  it. 

The  scene  was  very  beautiful.  The  coast  lay 
like  a  flake  of  dull  gold  on  the  burnished  surface 
of  sun-gilded  water,  outlined  faintly  against  a  pale 
pink  sky  that  was  misty  from  distance,  but  trans- 
parently clear  in  tint.  There  was  not  a  cloud  in 
the  heavens,  not  the  thinnest  vapor,  to  catch  and 
refract  the  rays  of  light  that  were  beginning  to 
bathe  the  whole  sea-line  in  sunset  effulgence — 
only  the  land  itself.  That  changed  momently  as 
the  level  beams  of  the  sun  touched  it,  wrapping  it 
in  a  haze  of  dazzling  light,  which  deepened  rapidly 
to  burning  gold,  and  from  gold  to  orange-rose, 
and  from  rose  to  crimson. 

Then  the  colors  commenced  fading,  dying  down 
from  shade  to  shade.  Dull-red,  purple,  violet, 
soft,  dark,  sombre  blue,  followed  each  other  in 
swift  succession  as  the  sunset  radiance  retreated 
from  the  eastern  horizon  and  came  creeping 
across  the  water  toward  the  ship,  the  shades  of 
evening  falling  like  a  veil  behind  it. 

Stella  scarcely  heard  the  exclamations  of  ad- 
miration and  pleasure  from  those  around  her. 
She  was  thinking  of  Southgate,  of  what  he  would 
feel  if  he  was  by  her  side  looking  for  the  first  time 
at  the  shore  that  was  now  dissappearing  in  the 


STELLA'S   DISCIPLINE.  239 

twilight.  He  was  not  much  inclined  to  enthu- 
siasm ordinarily,  but  his  eye  always  lighted  and  his 
words  and  tones  warmed  when  he  spoke  of  Ire- 
land. To  be  so  near  it  reminded  her  of  all  that 
they  had  intended  to  do  and  see  there  together. 

"  We  must  land  at  Queenstown,"  he  had  more 
than  once  said  when  they  were  discussing  the  de- 
tails of  their  intended  visit  to  Europe.  "  I  should 
feel  it  impossible  to  pass  Ireland  without  pausing 
to  touch  this  soil  which  has  been  made  sacred  by 
the  blood  and  tears  of  so  many  generations  of 
saints  and  martyrs.  We  will  hear  one  Mass  in 
Cork  or  Dublin,  and  go  on  then  to  Rome.  But 
as  we  return  we  must  stay  some  time  and  make  a 
great  many  pilgrimages." 

Stella  smiled  sadly  to  herself  as  she  remem- 
bered how  little  interest  she  had  felt  at  the  time 
in  the  idea  of  the  pilgrimages,  and  how  much 
more  she  was  thinking  of  seeing  London  and  Paris 
than  of  hearing  Mass  anywhere  1  Now  she  would 
have  been  very  glad  to  land  in  Qeenstown  and 
stay  in  Ireland  a  few  days.  She  had  even  pro- 
prosed  it  to  her  father,  who  was  not  unwilling  to 
gratify  her  wish,  had  not  Mrs.  Gordon  objected  to 
the  delay  and  preferred  to  land  in  Liverpool  and 
proceed  at  once  to  London. 

The  weather  was  unusually  fine,  and,  as  Mrs. 
Gordon  found  herself  much  fatigued  by  her  voy- 
age, they  decided  to  remain  awhile  in  England  in- 
stead of  going  on  at  once  to  the  Continent  accord- 


240  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

ing  to  their  original  intention.  A  few  days  after 
their  arrival,  therefore,  they  were  established  in 
lodgings  in  that  pleasantest  part  of  suburban  Lon- 
don, Kensington. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

"  WHAT  can  be  the  matter  that  your  father  does 
not  return  ?  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gordon  anxiously 
the  day  after  that  on  which  they  were  settled  in 
their  lodgings.  The  dinner-hour  was  striking, 
and  Mr.  Gordon,  who  had  gone  out  immediately 
after  breakfast  to  see  his  banker,  had  not  yet  ap- 
peared. 

"  I  don't  suppose  anything  serious  is  the  matter," 
said  Stella,  speaking  more  cheerfully  than  she  felt, 
in  order  to  reassure  her  mother,  who  was  evi- 
dently becoming  very  impatient  and  not  a  little 
uneasy.  "  He  may  have  lost  his  way  in  this  great 
London  town,  or " 

At  this  moment  a  welcome  ring  of  the  door-bell 
sounded,  and  she  paused  to  see  if  it  was  her 
father.  Yes,  that  was  his  step  on  the  stair,  she 
was  sure  ;  and  when  the  door  opened  she  looked 
up  with  a  smile  and  a  jesting  reproof  on  her  lips. 

She  did  not  utter  the  last.  Mr.  Gordon  came  in 
hastily,  looking >  grave  and  a  little  nervous,  it 
seemed  to  her. 

"I  hope  I  have  not  kept  dinner  waiting  or 
made  you  uneasy,  Margaret,"  he  said,  glancing 
anxiously  at  his  wife.  "  I  was  detained  unavoid- 
16  (241) 


242  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

ably  by  business.  I  will  be  ready  in  a  moment, 
however." 

He  passed  into  an  adjoining  apartment. 

"  How  worried  he  looks  ! "  observed  his  wife. 
"  I  can't  imagine  what  business  there  is  that  could 
disturb  him  so." 

"  I  suppose  he  was  afraid  you  would  be  nervous 
and  alarmed  by  his  absence,"  said  Stella. 

"  Yes,  very  likely.  I  was  beginning  to  feel 
quite  anxious.  I  wish  I  had  your  nerves." 

She  would  not  have  wished  so  if  she  had  known 
what  a  state  Stella's  nerves  were  in  at  that  mo- 
ment, quiet  as  she  appeared.  "  Something  is  the 
matter,"  she  was  thinking,  "  and  something  very 
serious,  I  am  sure.  I  never  in  my  life  saw  papa 
look  so  strangely  excited." 

Her  apprehensions  were  somewhat  dissipated 
when  Mr.  Gordon  reappeared  after  arranging  his 
toilet  for  dinner.  He  bestowed  his  usual  care  in 
making  his  wife  comfortable,  and  listened  with  his 
usual  patience  to  her  report  of  her  symptoms  dur- 
ing the  morning.  But,  that  subject  exhausted,  a 
preoccupied  expression  stole  over  his  face  ;  and 
Stella  observed  that  although  he  accounted  for  his 
unusual  silence  and  gravity  by  saying  that  he  was 
very  tired,  he  ate  little.  In  his  whole  air  and 
manner  there  was  a  certain  quietude  too  marked 
to  be  quite  natural. 

She  was  alarmed.  "  Something  dreadful  has 
happened  !  "  she  thought  again,  while  her  mother 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  243 

was  asking  innumerable  questions  relevant  to 
nothing  in  particular.  "  Papa  must  have  received 
letters  at  the  bank.  Oh !  I  wish  dinner  was  over ; 
he  is  dreadfully  worried  about  something.  Per- 
haps he  is  called  home  by  business,  and  will  have 
to  leave  us." 

This  idea  took  entire  possession  of  her  mind, 
and  all  the  while  they  sat  at  table,  and  during  the 
two  hours  which  followed,  she  was  tormenting 
herself  with  anticipations  of  how  wretched  she 
should  be  if  her  fears  were  verified  and  she  had 
to  see  her  father  return  home  alone.  The  fact 
that  he  said  nothing  before  her  mother  made  her 
more  uneasy  than  she  would  otherwise  have  been 
even,  and  more  impatient  to  know  the  trouble, 
whatever  that  trouble  might  prove  to  be. 

Mrs.  Gordon,  who  still  kept  invalid  hours, 
finally  rose  to  retire,  and  her  husband  gave  her 
his  arm  to  assist  her  to  her  chamber. 

"  Is  anything  the  matter,  papa  ?  "  Stella  asked 
the  moment  he  entered  the  room  on  his  return. 
"  Did  you  get  any  letters  from  home  ?  " 

"  None,"  he  answered.  "  It  is  too  soon  to  ex- 
pect letters  from  home.  But  yes,  something  is 
the  matter.  I  heard  some  very  bad  news  this 
morning." 

"  I  knew  it !  I  felt  sure  of  it !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  You  received  a  telegram,  I  suppose  ?  What — 

"I  heard  nothing  from  home,"  he  interrupted. 
"  This  news  is  about  Southgate." 


244  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  He  is  married ! "  she  thought,  with  a  sharp 
pang.  But  womanly  pride  gave  her  self-posses- 
sion. "  Ah  !  "  she  forced  herself  to  say  steadily. 
"  What  did  you  hear  about  him  ?  " 

Her  look  of  inquiry  was  so  composed,  if  not  in- 
different, that  her  father  answered  at  once  briefly : 
"  He  is  dead." 

There  was  a  long  pause.  Mr.  Gordon  was  inex- 
pressibly shocked  as  well  as  astonished  at  the 
effect  his  words  produced.  Stella's  face  grew  as 
white  as  marble,  her  form  seemed  to  stiffen  as  she 
sat,  and  her  eyes  had  a  wild,  glazed  expression 
that  alarmed  him. 

He  uttered  an  exclamation  of  dismay.  "  I  have 
been  too  abrupt !  "  he  said.  "  But  I  thought  from 
your  manner  that  you  were  indifferent  to  him." 

Her  lips  quivered;  there  was  a  convulsive  move- 
ment in  her  throat,  as  if  she  was  trying  to  speak. 
But  the  effort  was  abortive.  She  was  aware  of  a 
strange,  double  consciousness — a  burning  pain 
tearing  her  heart,  with,  at  the  same  time,  an  apa- 
thetic recognition  of  her  position  and  surrounding 
circumstances. 

"I  thought  so,  too,"  she  managed  at  last  to 
articulate  in  reply  to  her  father's  exclamation. 
"  But  you  see  we  were  both  mistaken." 

After  another  silence  she  cried  suddenly :  "  You 
mean  it,  papa? — you  really  mean  that  he  is 
dead?  " 

"  Yes  ;  he  is  dead." 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  246 

"How  do  you  know  it?  How  did  you  hear 
it?" 

"  I  have  seen  his  body,"  was  the  reply. 

She  asked  no  more  questions  at  the  moment, 
but  sat  staring  vacantly  before  her,  trying  to 
realize,  trying  to  make  herself  believe,  what  she 
had  been  told. 

Southgate  dead  !  It  was  the  first  time  that  the 
idea  of  his  dying  had  ever  entered  her  mind. 
She  had  thought  of  his  marriage,  had  prepared 
herself  to  hear  of  this,  and,  had  she  heard  of  it, 
would  have  accepted  the  inevitable  with  becom- 
ing resignation.  Not  without  a  pang,  certainly  ; 
but  that  pang  would  have  been  the  death -throe  of 
her  love. 

To  see  the  extinction  of  his  life  was  another 
thing — a  life  that  she  believed  to  be  so  full  of 
promise.  A  mingled  sense  of  amaze,  of  vehement 
protest,  of  intolerable  regret  assailed  her.  Al- 
most forgetting  herself  in  generous  pity  for  him, 
she  felt  like  crying  out  against  the  cruelty  of 
Heaven. 

The  entrance  of  a  servant,  who  came  into  the 
room  on  some  trifling  errand,  roused  her  from  her 
vain  questioning  of  Omnipotent  wisdom,  and, 
glancing  at  her  father,  the  expression  of  his  face 
further  recalled  her  to  a  consciousness  of  the 
necessity  of  self-control. 

"  I  am  very,  very  sorry  papa,  to  hear  this  sad 
news,"  she  said  quietly  when  the  man  left  the 


246  STELLA'S 

room.  "  I  was  awfully  shocked  at  first,  for " — 
her  voice  faltered  slightly — "  I  did  care  a  great 
deal  for  him.  But  you  know  I  have  no  right  to 
care  now.  You  need  not  be  afraid  of  my  making 
myself  seriously  unhappy.  But  I  am  so,  so  sorry  ! 
How  sad  it  is  for  any  one  to  die  so  young !  How 
did  you  hear  it  ?  " 

Mr.  Gordon  s  face  cleared  when  he  perceived 
that  she  intended  to  take  the  matter  in  this  sen- 
sible way,  as  he  considered  it,  and  he  proceeded 
to  explain  how  by  a  mere  accident,  as  it  seemed, 
the  fact  came  to  his  knowledge.  He  had  gone  to 
the  banking-house  to  which  he  brought  letters,  to 
have  a  check  cashed,  and,  wishing  to  make  his 
financial  arrangements  for  the  period  during 
which  he  would  be  on  the  Continent,  requested 
speech  with  one  of  the  heads  of  the  house.  The 
banker  was  engaged  just  then,  he  was  informed, 
but  would  probably  be  at  leisure  to  see  him  in 
half  an  hour,  or  less  time,  if  he  could  wait.  In 
much  less  time  than  that  specified,  at  the  distant 
tinkle  of  a  bell,  the  clerk  to  whom  he  had  given 
his  card  rose  quickly  and,  requesting  him  to 
follow,  led  the  way  down  a  long  corridor  to  a 
door,  unclosed  it,  motioned  him  to  enter,  and 
retired. 

As  he  was  about  to  cross  the  threshold  he  was 
met  by  a  man  coming  out,  whose  face  struck  him 
at  a  passing  glance  as  singularly  pale  and  haggard 
— so  much  so  that  it  remained  a  picture  in  his 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  247 

mind  all  the  while  he  was  transacting  his  busi- 
ness. 

"  May  I  ask,  Mr.  Gordon,  if  you  were  ac- 
quainted with  a  countryman  of  your  own,  a  Mr. 

Southgate?"  inquired  Mr.  L ,  the  banker, 

when  he  rose  to  leave. 

"I  am  intimately  acquainted  with  a  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Southgate,  who  was  in  London  about  the 
first  of  this  year,  if  he  is  the  man  you  speak  of," 
was  the  reply.  "  He  went  from  here  to  Italy,  and 
thence  to  Jerusalem,  I  believe." 

"  The  same,  the  same  man,"  said  the  banker. 
"  He  intended  to  spend  two  years  in  Eastern 
travel  he  told  me,  perhaps  longer.  Unfortunately 
for  him,  as  it  turned  out,  he  changed  his  mind, 
was  returning  to  England,  it  seems,  and  last  night 
he  lost  his  life,  I  understand,  by  the  sinking  of 
the  steamer  he  was  on." 

"  Good  heavens !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Gordon.  "  Is 
it  possible  ?  This  is  most  deplorable  intelligence 
to  me !  How  did  you  obtain  your  information, 

Mr.  L ,  may  I  inquire  ?  Is  it  to  be  relied 

on?" 

"  There  can  be  no  mistake  as  to  the  fact,  I  re- 
gret to  say,"  answered  the  other.  "  My  informant 
was  a  fellow-passenger  of  Mr.  Southgate's — the 
man  you  met  as  you  came  in  a  few  minutes  ago. 
He  is  a  gentleman  well  known  to  me,  and  barely 
escaped  with  his  own  life — was  picked  up  by  a 
boat  while  struggling  in  the  water." 


248  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  And  he  told  you  that  Southgate  was  on  board 
the  vessel  with  him,  and  was  lost  ?  " 

"  He  saw  his  body  among  a  number  of  others 
that  came  on  shore  with  the  tide  this  morning." 

"  Can  I  follow  and  speak  to  him  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Gordon  hastily.  "  I  should  like  to  learn  all  the 
particulars  of  the  accident  and  take  charge  of  the 
body." 

Mr.  L shook  his  head.  "  He  has  left  town 

by  this  time,  having  merely  called  here  on  his  way 
to  take  the  12.30  train  at  the  Northwestern 
terminus.  He  is  off  before  now.  But  I  can  give 
you  the  particulars  of  the  accident  in  a  general 
way,  which  he  told  me,  and  direct  you  to  the 
place  where  the  bodies  will  no  doubt  be  kept 
during  the  day  for  identification  by  friends. 
Pray  sit  down  again." 

Mr.  Gordon  did  so,  and  learned  that  one 
steamer  had  run  into  another  the  night  before  on  the 
river  a  little  below  Greenwich,  and  that  the  smaller 
vessel,  a  passenger-boat  bound  from  some  Medi- 
terranean porttoLondon,  was  struck  amidships  and 
sank  almost  immediately.  Most  of  the  passengers 
being  in  their  berths  at  the  time  of  the  collision, 
the  loss  of  life  was  very  great.  Some  few  were 
picked  up  by  the  boats  of  the  larger  vessel,  but 
the  greater  number  perished.  A  good  many 
bodies  had  already  been  washed  ashore  by  the  tide 
that  came  in  at  daylight,  and  were  deposited  in  a 
boat-house  on  the  spot. 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  249 

This  was  the  substance  of  what  Mr.  Gordon 

heard,  Mr.  L adding  that  his  informant  had 

mentioned  Southgate's  name  incidentally  among 
that  of  others,  but  seemed  to  have  had  a  very 
slight  acquaintance  with  him,  only  knowing  that 
he  was  an  American,  that  he  had  lately  been  in 
Syria,  and  was  evidently  but  just  recovering  from 
what  must  from  his  appearance  have  been  a  very 
serious  illness. 

Taking  leave  of  the  banker  with  many  thanks 
for  the  information  he  had  received,  distressing  as 
it  was  to  him,  Mr.  Gordon  proceeded  at  once  to  the 
place  to  which  he  had  been  directed,  some  distance 
below  Greenwich. 

It  was  a  feeling  akin  to  physical  pain  that  he 
shrank,  as  he  drew  near  to  his  destination,  from 
the  thought  of  seeing  Southgate's  lifeless  body, 
if  Southgate's  body  it  proved  to  be.  He  felt  that 
ocular  demonstration  could  destroy  his  hope  to  the 
contrary. 

A  crowd  surrounded  the  boat-house;  many 
people  were  entering  and  leaving  momently. 
Some  of  them,  it  was  evident,  came  on  the  same 
sad  errand  as  himself,  with  even  a  closer  interest ; 
for  he  heard  more  than  one  burst  of  heartrending 
grief  as  he  paused  an  instant  outside  the  door  to 
brace  his  resolution  before  going  in.  Others  were 
impelled  by  that  strange  morbid  curiosity,  so  com- 
mon to  human  nature,  which  makes  suffering  and 
death  an  entertaining  spectacle. 


250  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

To  these  last  the  scene  in  the  boat-house  was  no 
doubt  weirdly  attractive ;  to  Mr.  Gordon  it  was 
horrible.  He  gave  but  one  glance  at  the  row  of 
cold  effigies  of  humanity  that  lay  waiting  recog- 
nition or  unknown  burial,  and,  seeing  none  which 
he  thought  could  by  any  possibility  be  that  he  was 
seeking  turned  away  and  addressed  one  of  the 
men  wearing  the  badge  of  the  London  police  who 
were  in  official  attendance.  Taking  out  his 
pocket-book  with  the  air  of  a  man  who  expects  to 
pay  for  what  he  gets,  he  did  get  civil  answers  to 
his  questions,  but  no  information  that  was  at  all 
satisfactory.  The  policeman,  who  belonged  to  the 
reserve  force  kept  for  special  service,  had  been  on 
duty  but  half  an  hour,  he  said,  and  knew  nothing 
whatever  about  the  accident  or  its  victims.  He 
suggested,  however,  as  he  condescended  to  accept 
the  coin  extended  by  Mr.  Gordon,  that  any  of  the 
boatmen  loitering  outside  could  tell  the  gentleman 
all  that  there  was  to  tell  about  it. 

When  Mr.  Gordon,  glad  to  escape  from  prox- 
imity to  the  ghastly  company  within,  hurried  out 
into  the  sunshine  and  looked  about  for  one  Jim 
Dodson,  who  was  recommended  by  the  policeman 
as  the  "  best  party  to  apply  to,"  he  fortunately 
found  that  individual  at  his  service,  ready  to  "  tell 
what  he  knowed,"  if  the  gentleman  would  make 
it  worth  his  while. 

The  gentleman  made  it  so  well  worth  his  while 
that  he  was  inclined  to  tell  not  only  all  he  knew, 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  2ol 

but  more  besides,  the  former  suspected.  Sifting 
as  well  as  he  could,  by  a  rigid  cross-examination, 
the  truth  from  its  embellishments,  Mr.  Gordon 
possessed  himself  of  what  seemed  to  him  a  few 
probable  facts.  Among  the  bodies  that  had  come 
ashore  with  the  tide  there  was  one,  Mr.  Dodson 
stated,  which  an  officer  and  a  passenger  of  the  lost 
vessel  had  recognized  as  that  of  an  American  gen- 
tleman, they  said — a  young  man  with  dark  hair, 
tall,  looking  as  if  he  had  consumption.  "  Came 
ashore  in  his  trousers  and  shirt,  no  coat  nor — " 

Mr.  Gordon  here  interposed.  There  was  no  body 
answering  the  description  in  the  boat-house,  he 
suggested. 

"  Not  now,"  the  boatman  replied,  "  'cause  it  was 
took  away  about  a  hour  ago." 

"  Taken  away  !  "  repeated  Mr.  Gordon  in  sur- 
prise. "  Who  took  it  ?  " 

That  Mr.  Dodson  was  not  prepared  to  say.  In 
fact,  he  did  not  know.  Undertaker  people.  But 
of  course  there  was  somebody  behind  them.  All 
he  knowed  was  that  the  officer  of  the  ship  he 
spoke  about  before  had  came  down  with  the  un- 
dertaker's men,  and  the  undertaker's  men  had  car- 
ried off  two  bodies — the  gentleman  they  was 
speaking  of  and  another  young  gentleman.  That 
was  all  he  knowed. 

"  And  where  is  the  officer  of  the  ship  ?  "  Mr. 
Gordon  inquired.  "  You  say  he  came  down  ;  from 
where  ?  " 


252  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE, 

"From  the  iun  up  yonder,"  answered  the  boat- 
man. 

Up  to  the  inn,  some  few  hundred  yards  distant, 
Mr.  Gordon  went  in  haste  ;  and  after  a  few  min- 
utes conversation  with  the  man  he  sought,  who 
proved  to  be  the  second  officer  of  the  unfortunate 
vessel,  he  returned  to  London  and  spent  some 
time  in  searching  through  the  advertising  columns 
of  the  Times  and  other  papers  for  the  address  of 
an  undertaker  to  whom  he  had  been  referred  by 
the  officer  for  certain  information  which  the  latter 
himself  was  unable  to  give.  Succeeding  at  last 
in  his  quest,  he  saw  the  undertaker,  and  from  him 
obtained  the  address  of  a  gentleman,  to  whom  he 
at  once  went. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ALL  these  journeyings  to  and  fro  occupied  so 
much  time  as  to  make  him  late  for  dinner.  He 
described  his  adventures  to  Stella  in  few  words 
until  he  came  to  the  latter  part  of  his  narrative, 
when  he  spoke  more  at  length. 

"I  was  astonished  to  hear  that  the  body  had 
been  removed,"  he  said,  "  and  began  to  indulge  a 
hope  that,  after  all,  the  drowned  man  might  not 
be  our  friend,  but  somebody  else  of  the  same 
name.  The  possibility — it  even  seemed  to  me  a 
probability — of  this  being  the  case  increased  my 
anxiety  to  find  out  by  whom  the  body  had  been 
taken,  and  to  what  place. 

"  To  my  disappointment,  the  officer  to  whom  I 
applied  as  soon  as  I  learned  his  whereabouts  could 
give  me  little  available  information.  He  remem- 
bered that  one  of  the  passengers  was  a  Mr.  South- 
gate,  an  American,  who  seemed  in  ill  health ;  rec- 
ollected to  have  heard  Mr.  Southgate  remark  that 
he  was  still  suffering  from  the  effects  of  an  attack 
of  fever  which  he  had  in  Syria,  and  had  noticed 
that  he  appeared  to  be  much  affected  by  the  heat, 
which  was  intense  during  the  whole  passage. 

"  The  vessel  touched  at  Gibraltar,  and  two 
young  Englishmen,  one  of  whom  was  accompan- 

(253) 


264  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

led  by  his  wife,  embarked  there,  he  said.  Mr. 
Southgate  and  the  younger  of  these  two  gentle- 
men seemed  to  take  a  fancy  to  each  other  at  once. 
They  were  together  a  great  deal,  and  were  in  the 
habit  of  walking  the  deck  together  at  night.  If 
it  had  not  been  that  the  bodies  came  on  shore  only 
half  dressed  he  should  have  thought  they  must 
have  been  on  deck  when  the  collision  occurred, 
late  as  it  was — after  midnight.  Southgate's  right 
hand  was  grasping  the  Englishman's  shoulder, 
while  the  Englishman's  right  hand  was  clasped 
around  Southgate's  left  arm  just  above  the  wrist. 
The  elder  Mr.  Willoughby — Willoughby  was  the 
name  of  the  Englishman — was  saved,  and  so  was 
his  wife.  In  claiming  his  brother's  body  he  re- 
quested permission  to  take  Southgate's  also,  say- 
ing something  which  the  officer  did  not  under- 
stand, about  Southgate's  having  lost  his  own  life 
in  trying  to  save  that  of  his  friend.  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby also  said  that  he  was  a  Catholic,  and 
knew  Southgate  to  have  been  one,  and  that  he 
would  take  on  himself  the  burial  of  the  body. 

"  The  officer  thinking  that  as  Southgate  was  a 
foreigner,  and  of  course  a  stranger,  it  was  not 
likely  any  one  else  would  claim  the  body,  very 
readily  consented  to  its  being  given  up  to  Mr. 
Willoughby.  He  went  down  to  the  boat-house 
and  so  instructed  the  men  in  charge.  When  I 
spoke  to  him  shortly  afterwards  he  was  afraid,  I 
could  see,  that  he  had  done  wrong.  I  soon  reas- 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  255 

sured  him,  telling  him  that  he  had  acted  with 
good  judgment  in  the  matter,  and  that  all  I  asked 
was  Mr.  Willoughby's  address.  He  could  not 
give  me  this,  or  any  clue  by  which  to  find  it  ;  and 
I  had  just  decided  that  I  should  have  to  advertise 
in  the  evening  and  morning  papers  when  a  boat- 
man to  whom  I  had  been  talking  came  to  my  as- 
sistance, giving  me  the  name  of  the  undertaker 
who  had  removed  the  bodies.  I  looked  up  the 
man's  advertisement,  in  that  way  found  him,  and 
learned  that  Mr.  Willoughby  was  at  his  house  in 
town  to-day,  the  bodies  having  been  temporarily 
carried  there  also. 

"  I  went  to  the  house  at  once.  The  blinds  were 
down,  and  the  porter  assured  me  that  his  master 
could  see  no  one,  being  in  great  distress  at  the 
death  of  his  brother.  I  had  some  difficulty  in  get- 
ting the  man  to  take  my  card,  on  which  I  had 
written  a  line  explaining  my  business.  He  did 
take  or  send  it  in  at  last,  however  ;  and  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby received  me  immediately  in  the  most 
courteous,  indeed  cordial,  manner.  He  had  taken 
the  liberty,  he  said,  of  charging  himself  with  the 
care  and  burial  of  Mr.  Southgate's  body,  feeling 
that,  short  as  their  acquaintance  had  been,  grati- 
tude gave  him  a  claim  to  render  every  respect  and 
consideration  in  his  power  to  the  memory  of  a 
man  who  had  saved  his  life  and  that  of  his  wife, 
and  had  perished  while  endeavoring  to  render  the 
same  service  to  his  brother.  He  could  not  deny 


256  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

my  right  as  a  countryman  and  friend  of  Mr. 
Southgate  to  have  a  voice  as  to  the  disposal  of 
the  body  ;  but  he  earnestly  hoped  that  I  would 
consent  to  its  temporary  burial,  at  least,  with  that 
of  his  brother.  If  Mr.  Southgate's  family  wished 
its  removal  hereafter,  very  well ;  he  could  make 
no  objection.  But  now — 

"  I  interposed  here  and  assured  him  that  I  not 
only  consented  willingly  to  his  kind  proposal,  but 
thanked  him  heartily  for  it  and  could  desire  noth- 
ing better ;  and  that  I  would  only  ask  further  to 
see  the  body,  in  order  to  be  certain  it  was  really 
that  of  my  friend.  I  still  entertained  a  faint  hope 
to  the  contrary. 

"  He  led  the  way  at  once  from  the  room  in 
which  he  had  received  me  to  a  drawing-room  up- 
stairs where  the  two  bodies  lay." 

Mr.  Gordon's  voice  sank  a  little  as  he  uttered 
the  last  words,  and  there  was  a  moment's  silence, 
which  was  measured  to  Stella  by  the  heavy,  sick- 
ening throbs  of  her  heart.  She  would  have  pre- 
ferred to  hear  no  more.  Almost  she  felt  as  if  she 
could  not  listen  to  another  word.  But  what  mat- 
ter a  few  pangs  more  or  less  ?  she  thought.  The 
cup  of  bitterness  was  at  her  lips ;  she  might  as 
well  drink  every  drop. 

"  I  should  scarcely  have  recognized  the  face  if 
I  had  seen  it  accidentally  without  knowing  whose 
it  was,"  Mr.  Gordon  went  on  in  a  tone  of  much 
feeling,  "  though  I  am  sure  I  should  have  ,been 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  267 

struck  by  its  resemblance  to  Southgate.  The 
forehead,  hair,  and  brows  look  quite  natural,  ex- 
cept that  the  temples  are  very  sunken.  But  the 
features  are  perfectly  emaciated,  and  have  the 
sharpness  and  lividness  which  death  almost  in- 
variably gives,  particularly  after  a  long  illness. 
Added  to  this,  the  face  is  clean  shaven.  As  he 
always  wore  a  beard  and  moustache,  this  gives  it 
a  very  unfamiliar  appearance.  The  first  glance 
convinced  me  that  it  was  Southgate,  and  yet  I 
found  it  difficult  to  realize  that  it  was  he  who  lay 
before  me. 

**  I  stayed  but  a  moment ;  for,  painful  as  the 
interview  was  to  myself,  it  was  evidently  even 
more  so  to  Mr.  Willoughby.  He  is  a  great, 
broad-chested,  broad -cheeked  Englishman,  with  a 
face  that  looks  as  if  it  was  made  only  to  laugh  ; 
but  there  were  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  I  saw  that  he 
could  not  control  his  voice  as  he  put  his  hand  on 
his  brother's  hair  and  looked  from  one  of  the  dead 
faces  to  the  other." 

Stella  said  nothing,  and  it  was  an  inexpressible 
relief  to  her  when  her  father  took  out  his  watch 
and  began  to  wind  it  up.  She  knew  that  this  was 
his  preliminary  to  saying  good-night. 

Before  the  watch  was  closed  and  returned  to  its 
place  the  door-bell  rang. 

"  Strange,  at  this  hour,"  said  Mr.  Gordon,  and 
looked  inquiringly  at  the  servant  who  appeared  a 
moment  after  having  answered  the  bell. 
17 


258  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"A  person  at  the  door  wishes  to  speak  to  you, 
sir,"  the  man  said. 

"  Let  him  come  up,"  was  the  reply. 

The  person  declined  to  do  so.  He  wanted  to 
speak  to  the  gentleman  alone. 

"  Take  him  into  the  dining-room,  then.  I  will 
see  him  there,"  Mr.  Gordon  said,  and  followed  the 
man  as  the  latter  left  the  room. 

He  was  not  gone  long.  There  was  a  short  si- 
lence in  the  house,  then  movements  down-stairs, 
the  shutting  of  the  house  door,  and  Mr.  Gordon 
reappeared. 

He  had  something  in  his  hand,  Stella  perceived, 
as  he  advanced  to  a  table  on  which  was  a  light, 
and  instinctively  she  joined  him.  A  cold  chill  ran 
through  her  veins  as  she  saw  what  it  was  that  he 
held — a  Russia-leather  pocket  book,  damp  and  dis- 
colored. Before  he  spoke  she  knew  what  he  was 
going  to  tell  her. 

"A  boatman  to  whom  I  was  talking  to-day 
brought  it  to  me,"  he  said.  "  No  doubt  it  was 
taken  from  the  body  and  the  money  it  contained 
abstracted,  though  the  fellow,  of  course,  tells  a 
different  story." 

He  opened  it  slowly,  with  the  reluctance  a  man 
feels  in  addressing  himself  to  a  task  which  he 
knows  will  be  a  painful  one. 

The  outside  was  still  damp ;  the  inside  was 
wringing  wet.  There  was  no  money,  nothing  of 
any  value ;  simply  a  number  of  memoranda 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  259 

leaves  and  a  few  letters,  all  so  thoroughly  soaked 
with  salt  water  as  to  be  mere  paper  pulp  with 
blotty  discolorations  over  the  surface,  and  so 
pasted  together  as  to  defy  any  effort  to  take  the 
leaves  apart  or  open  the  letters  without  break- 
ing them  to  pieces.  If  he  had  not  suspected  the 
fact  already  Mr.  Gordon  would  have  been  satis- 
fied, from  the  disordered  and  soiled  condition  of 
the  contents,  that  the  book  had  been  ransacked  be- 
fore it  came  into  his  hands.  One  of  the  letters 
had  obviously  been  dropped  into  the  mud  and 
washed  off,  losing  part  of  its  edges  in  the  process. 
In  fact,  all  of  the  papers  were  more  wet  than 
would  have  been  possible  had  the  pocket-book  re- 
mained unopened. 

After  examining  the  whole  very  carefully  Mr. 
Gordon  shook  his  head  in  disappointment. 

"  There  is  nothing  by  which  to  judge  whether  it 
even  belonged  to  Southgate,"  he  said.  "  The  boat- 
man's story  is  that  it  fell  from  his  pocket  as  his 
body  was  lifted  out  of  the  shallow  tide-water 
where  it  lodged " 

"  I  think,"  interrupted  Stella  desperately,  feel- 
ing that  to  hear  such  details  dwelt  on  was  be- 
yond her  powers  of  endurance — "  I  think,  papa, 
you  did  not  examine  the  innermost  pocket.  There 
may  be  something  in  that." 

Mr.  Gordon  opened  the  book  again  and  saw 
that  he  had  not  noticed  the  pocket  she  alluded  to. 
He  unfolded  the  extreme  end  and  exposed  to  view 


260  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

two  flaps,  lifting  which  he  discovered  a  small 
pocket. 

"  Yes,  here  is  a  letter  or  note,"  he  said,  "  and  it 
has  been  so  well  protected  by  the  leather  that  it  is 
scarcely  damp,  which  shows  I  was  right  in  believ- 
ing that  the  other  papers  have  been  tampered 
with.  Here  are  some  finger-marks  on  it,  but  it 
has  no  address,"  he  added,  turning  it  over. 

It  had  an  enclosure,  however,  he  found — a  carte- 
de-visite  photograph.  He  took  it  out  of  the  envel- 
ope, and  when  he  saw  what  it  was  would  have 
been  very  glad  if  he  could  have  concealed  it  from 
Stella.  But  she  had  recognized  it  at  a  glance,  he 
knew  by  her  quick  movement  and  gasping  breath. 
It  was  her  own  likeness. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

AT  breakfast  the  next  morning  Mr.  Gordon  was 
very  glad  to  see  Stella  in  her  accustomed  place 
behind  the  urn.  Except  that  she  looked  grave 
and  pale,  her  manner  was  quite  as  usual.  She 
even  smiled  faintly  in  answer  to  his  greeting ;  but 
after  the  morning  salutations  scarcely  a  word  was 
exchanged.  Neither  of  the  two  was  inclined  to 
talk,  and  neither  felt  under  any  constraint  in  re- 
maining silent.  Mrs.  Gordon,  since  her  illness, 
always  breakfasted  in  her  own  room. 

"  I  told  Mr.  Willoughby  that  I  would  be  with 
him  this  morning,"  said  Mr.  Gordon  when  he  had 
finished  breakfast,  "  but  the  visit  will  not  detain 
me  long,  probably.  Of  course  I  shall  insist  on 
seeing  to  the  funeral  expenses.  Willoughby  in- 
tended to  defray  them  himself,  the  undertaker 
told  me  ;  but  I  cannot  allow  that,  even  temporar- 
ily. It  is  totally  unnecessary." 

He  rose  and  was  leaving  the  room,  but  paused 
suddenly  as  he  reached  the  door,  and  said : 

"  I  promised  your  mother  to  look  up  the  D s 

to-day.  You  can  tell  her  why  I  am  unable  to " 

"  O  papa !  "  cried  Stella  impulsively,  "  if  it  is 
necessary  that  she  should  be  told,  cannot  you  tell 
her  ?  I  could  not  endure  to  hear  any  harsh  re- 

(261) 


262  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

marks  now.  I  am  afraid  I  should  lose  all  self-re- 
straint and  retort  very  bitterly. 

"  You  do  her  injustice,  if  you  think  she  would 
be  capable  of  saying  anything  harsh,"  answered 
Mr.  Gordon  gravely.  "  But  if  you  do  not  wish  to 
speak  on  the  subject  I  had  better  do  so.  She  will 
see  the  account  of  the  accident  in  the  morning 
papers,  and  wonder  that  it  was  not  mentioned  to 
her.  I  will  ling  and  inquire  if  I  can  see  her  be- 
fore I  go  out." 

"I  know,"  said  Stella,  speaking  rapidly  and 
passionately,  "  that  I  have  no  right  to  blame  her, 
having  myself  acted  so  badly.  But  I  feel  that  we 
are  his  murderers." 

"  It  is  worse  than  folly  to  entertain  such  an  idea 
as  that ! "  said  Mr.  Gordon  a  little  sternly. 
"  What  had  either  of  you  to  do  with  his  death  ?  " 

"  If  he  had  not  been  forced  in  self-respect  to 
break  with  me  everything  would  have  been  differ- 
ent," she  answered.  "  He  would  not  have  been 
on  that  ship,  papa.  You  cannot  deny  that." 

"  I  do  deny  that  you  are  in  any  degree  account- 
able for  his  having  lost  his  life  by  an  accident 
with  which  you  had  no  concern  whatever,"  said 
her  father,  crossing  the  room  to  ring  the  bell. 

"  Inquire  of  Mrs.  Gordon's  maid  if  her  mistress 
is  awake  and  can  see  me,"  he  said  to  the  servant 
who  answered  his  summons. 

Mrs.  Gordon  could  not  see  him,  the  maid  re- 
turned. She  had  a  headache  and  bad  cold,  and 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  263 

had  given  orders  that  she  was  not  to  be  disturbed. 

"  Thank  heaven  !  "  said  Stella  involuntarily  be- 
neath her  breath ;  then,  observing  that  her  father 
had  heard  the  exclamation  and  looked  both  sur- 
prised and  displeased,  she  added  quickly :  "  I  did 
not  mean  that  I  was  glad  mamma  had  a  headache ! 
No,  indeed !  It  is  a  great  relief  to  me  to  be  able 
to  be  alone — that  is  what  I  was  thinking  of.  I 
will  go  and  pray  in  that  church  we  saw  the  other 
day,  papa,  and  you  shall  find  me  in  better  disposi- 
tions when  you  return.  I  promise  you  I  will  try 
not  to  be  wicked  and  impatient  again." 

She  kept  her  word.  During  the  few  following 
days  she  was  very  grave  and  silent,  but  scrupu- 
lously attentive  to  her  mother  and  not  less  com- 
panionable than  usual  to  her  father.  The  latter 
at  first  spoke  of  Southgate  as  they  sat  alone  in  the 
evening  after  Mrs.  Gordon  retired.  He  repeated 
Mr.  Willoughby's  account  of  the  loss  of  the  vessel, 
and  description  of  the  saving  of  himself  and  his 
wife  by  Southgate,  who  burst  open  the  door  of 
their  state-room,  which  was  jammed  so  tightly  by 
the  crushing  of  the  side  of  the  boat  in  the  colli- 
sion that  it  could  not  be  moved  from  within. 
Stella  listened  with  interest  to  this  recital,  but 
asked  no  questions ;  and  her  father,  seeing  that 
she  shrank  from  the  subject,  discontinued  allud- 
ing to  it.  Only  on  the  morning  of  the  funeral  he 
said  as  she  was  pouring  out  his  coffee : 

"If  you  would  like  to  go  with  me  there  is  no 


264  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

reason  why  you  should  not.  There  is  to  be  a 
solemn  Requiem  High  Mass,  and  a  sermon  by  the 
cardinal.  Willoughby  told  me  that  his  wife  in- 
tends to  be  present  at  the  Mass,  and  that  they 
will  be  pleased  for  you  to  come  out  with  me  this 
morning  to  the  Manor  and  accompany  her  to  the 
chapel." 

She  shook  her  head.  "No.  I  will  pray  during 
the  time  in  the  church  here,"  she  answered. 
"  They  are  very  kind ;  you  must  thank  them  and 
make  my  excuses.  And  say,  please,  that  I  sent 
these  flowers" — she  pointed  to  a  side-table.  "You 
will  remember,  won't  you,  papa,  that  they  are  for 
both  the  coffins?" 

"  Of  course.  I  am  very  glad  you  thought  of 
it,"  said  Mr.  Gordon. 

"I  suppose,"  said  Stella,  "that  it  is  a  growing 
custom  in  England  for  women  to  attend  funerals, 
particularly  Catholic  funerals,  where  there  is  Mass. 
But  I  never  liked  the  idea,  even  at  home,  where  it 
is  universal." 

Mrs.  Gordon  made  no  harsh  remarks  when  she 
heard  of  Southgate's  death.  Her  husband,  in 
communicating  the  intelligence  to  her,  requested 
that  she  would  not  allude  to  the  subject  to  or  be- 
fore Stella — a  superfluous  precaution  on  his  part ; 
she  was  never  inclined  to  dwell  upon  anything 
either  painful  or  disagreeable,  and  the  recollection 
of  her  own  conduct  in  the  matter  of  Stella's  en- 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  265 

gageraent  was  both  the  one  and  the  other,  as  read 
now  in  the  light  of  this  tragic  end  of  one  of  the 
lives  concerned.  Stella's  pale  face  and  subdued 
manner  were  an  unceasing  reminder  that  she  had 
inflicted  great  pain  on  her  only  child  without 
having  accomplished  her  proposed  object.  She 
was  willing  to  let  her  blunder  and  the  failure  she 
had  made  rest  in  silence,  and  even  consented  not 
ungraciously  to  Mr.  Gordon's  proposal  that  they 
should  leave  London  at  once.  He  hoped  that 
change  of  scene  and  unavoidable  distractions  of 
travel  might  divert  Stella's  thought  from  dwell- 
ing on  the  recollection  of  her  former  lover's 
death. 

"But  the  D s!"  cried  Mrs.  Gordon  sud- 
denly. "  We  must  wait  for  them,  if  they  decide 
to  go  with  us;  and  I  am  almost  sure  they  will. 
They  are  to  dine  here  to-morrow  and  let  me  know 
certainly." 

The  D s  were  some  friends,  people  from 

their  own  State,  with  whom  she  wished  to  join 
parties. 

"Papa, "said  Stella  that  same  evening,  "before 
we  leave  London  I  should  like  to  visit  Edward's 
grave.  You  told  me,  I  think,  that  the  Willough- 
by's  were  to  leave  home  to-day  ?  " 

"  Yes,  to  join  Mr.  Willoughby's  mother." 

"  I  wonder  if  strangers  are  permitted  to  drive 
through  the  park  to  the  chapel  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  about  strangers  in  general,  but 


266  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

Willoughby's  people  would  recognize  me  and 
make  no  difficulty  about  my  going.  I  can  take 
you  there  to  morrow  afternoon,  if  you  like." 

"I  thought  I  might  go  alone,"  she  said;  adding 
frankly,  "I  should  prefer  it." 

"  Go  alone  ! "  repeated  Mr.  Gordon  in  surprise, 
"  Impossible  !  You  forget — " 

"  I  do  not  mean  quite  alone,"  she  interposed 
quickly.  "I  could  take  Charlotte  with  me.  You 
have  no  idea  how  useful  I  have  found  her.  She 
is  very  clever  and  capable,  understands  dealing 
with  these  troublesome  London  cabmen,  getting 
railway-tickets,  and  everything  of  the  kind.  I 
should  not  at  all  mind  going,  if  I  thought  the 
lodge-keeper  at  Willoughby  Manor  would  let  me 
in.  And  if  you  do  not  object,  papa." 

"  N — o.  I  suppose  there  would  be  no  impro- 
priety in  your  going,  if  you  take  this  girl  with 
you.  But  you  need  not  pass  through  the  park ; 
you  can  go  by  the  village,  which  is  in  sight  of  the 
railway  station,  a  mile  nearer  than  the  lodge. 
The  chapel  is  not  far  from  the  park-palings  that 
bound  the  village  green.  Several  of  the  villagers 
are  Catholics,  and  for  their  convenience  there  is  a 
gate  opening  into  the  park.  You  cannot  mistake 
it,  and  a  path  leads  from  the  gate  to  the  chapel. 

You  will  find  the  two  graves  under  the  very 
wall  of  the  church  on  the  east  side — the  side  next 
the  open  park  toward  the  house.  Standing  at  the 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  267 

foot  of  them,  the  one  at  the  right-hand  side  is 
Southgate's." 

Stella  left  London  later  than  she  had  intended, 
and  the  sun,  though  not  near  the  horizon,  was  suf- 
ficiently declined  from  the  meridian  to  throw  a 
very  golden  light  on  the  village-green  as,  attended 
by  her  landlady's  daughter  (the  girl  of  whom  she 
had  spoken  to  her  father),  she  crossed  it  on  her 
way  to  the  gate  which  gave  entrance  to  Wil- 
loughby  Manor  Park.  Some  children  playing  on 
the  far  side  of  the  broad  sweep  of  velvet  sward 
stared  at  the  unusual  apparition  of  two  such  fig- 
ures passing  there ;  otherwise  there  were  few 
signs  of  life  to  be  observed.  The  village  seemed 
sunk  in  the  drowsy  stillness  of  a  summer  after- 
noon. 

Tired  as  well  as  heated  by  her  walk,  short  as  it 
was,  from  the  station,  Stella  was  glad  to  plunge 
into  the  deep  shade  of  a  park,  the  coolness  of 
which  was  most  refreshing.  Not  only  the  trees 
but  the  undergrowth  also  remained  very  much  as 
nature  had  made  them.  But  for  the  absence  of 
dead  leaves  and  broken  branches  from  the  ground 
she  could  almost  have  fancied  herself  in  one  of 
her  own  native  forests,  so  still  and  green  and  dark 
was  everything  around  as  she  followed  the  narrow, 
winding  path  that  was  leading  her  apparently  into 
the  depths  of  a  dense  wood,  and  did  lead  to  a  little 
brook,  at  which  she  stopped. 

She   sat  down   on   the  roots  of  a  rugged  old 


268  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

beech-tree,  and,  taking  the  basket  of  flowers  which 
her  companion  carried,  drew  off  one  of  her  gloves, 
and,  dipping  her  hand  in  the  water,  sprinkled  the 
blossoms  until  they  looked  as  fresh  as  if  they  had 
just  been  gathered  with  the  morning-dew  upon 
them. 

"Sit  down,  Charlotte,"  she  said  then,  rising  and 
lifting  the  basket  from  the  ground,  "  and  wait  for 
me  here.  I  shall  not  be  gone  long." 

Walking  lightly  over  a  rustic  foot-bridge  that 
was  thrown  across  the  brook  a  little  lower  down 
on  its  course,  she  soon  disappeared  from  Char- 
lotte's view  along  the  path  which  wound  through 
the  thick  growth  fringing  the  water-course. 

After  continuing  its  way  through  the  copse  a 
short  distance  farther  the  path  suddenly  emerged 
into  an  open  space,  in  the  centre  of  which  stood 
the  chapel— a  small  beautiful  Gothic  structure. 

Stella  paused  with  a  thrill  of  indescribable 
emotion.  Here,  then  was  Southgate's  resting- 
place. 

"I  am  glad  that  he  sleeps  in  such  a  lovely 
spot!"  she  thought.  "But  oh!  it  is  terrible  to 
conceive  that  he  is  down  in  the  cold  dark- 
She  shrank  and  hesitated,  and  half  turned 
away  with  the  feeling  that  she  could  not  bear 
to  go  nearer.  But  the  heavy  basket  of  flowers 
in  her  hands  reminded  her  of  the  purpose  for 
which  she  came.  She  would  not  permit  herself 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  269 

to  yield  to  the  weakness  that  assailed  her.  "Let 
me  make  this  last  offering  to  him,  and  be  near 
him  once  more  for  the  very  last  time,"  she 
thought  sadly. 

She  moved  forward,  approaching  the  church 
from  the  western  side,  which  was  all  aglow  with 
the  broad  beams  of  the  July  sun  shining  from  a 
cloudless  sky.  Standing  in  this  lonely  spot,  the 
chapel  could  not  be  left  open,  and  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  could  not,  of  course,  be  reserved.  She 
was,  therefore,  denied  the  consolation  of  prostrat- 
ing herself  before  the  altar ;  but  she  knelt  on  the 
steps  of  the  front  entrance,  and  prayed  long  and 
fervently  for  the  repose  of  the  two  souls  that  had 
been  snatched  so  suddenly  from  life  and  all  the 
joys  of  youth  to  the  cold  darkness  of  the  tomb. 
With  her,  as  with  the  dead  Mr.  Willoughby's  rel- 
atives, there  would  always,  she  felt,  be  two  souls  to 
be  remembered  together. 

Her  prayers  ended,  she  lifted  her  basket  once 
more  and  walked  slowly  round  to  the  east  side  of 
the  building. 

It  was  all  shadow  here — the  deep  shades  cast  by 
the  high  walls  and  roof,  which  were  outlined 
sharply  and  in  exaggerated  length  on  the  velvet 
green,  that  stretched  away  in  this  direction, 
smooth  and  level  as  a  well-kept  lawn,  for  a  long 
distance  into  the  park.  A  few  trees  were  scat- 
tered about,  one  of  which,  a  picturesque  haw- 
thorn, stood  very  close  to  the  building  and  ex- 


270  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

tended  its  luxuriant  branches  protectingly,  as  it 
were,  over  the  two  graves  that  lay  between  its 
gnarled  trunk  and  the  church  wall. 

After  having  placed  her  offering  upon  the  graves 
Stella  sat  down  on  the  grass  beside  the  one  which 
her  father  said  was  Southgate's,  and  looked  at  it 
with  a  strange  regard.  Could  it  be,  she  exclaimed 
silently,  that  he  was  so  near  to  her?  So  near,  yet 
gone  for  ever  from  all  but  her  memory  and  her  re- 
gret !  But  a  few  feet  of  earth  divided  them — the 
eye  whose  gaze  she  so  well  remembered,  the  hand 
that  had  so  often  clasped  her  own !  Down  there 
in  the  cold  darkness  they  were  lying,  sleeping  the 
unawaking  sleep  of  mortality.  This  mound  of 
clay  was  all  that  remained  on  earth  of  the  grace- 
ful presence  which  she  had  thought  would  be  be- 
side her  during  all  her  life. 

With  her  head  drooped  low  and  her  ungloved 
hand  resting  on  the  grave  she  sat  for  a  long  time 
in  silent  meditation.  How  different  her  life  might 
have  been,  she  reflected,  if  she  had  not  lost  South- 
gate's  heart  by  what  seemed  to  her,  in  looking 
back,  the  most  incomprehensible  folly !  Love  of 
pleasure  and  admiration,  self-will,  and  a  hasty, 
uncontrolled  temper — these  faults  had  appeared 
slight  and  venial  in  her  eyes  at  the  time.  Now 
she  saw  them  in  another  light :  saw  that  trifling 
defects  of  character  and  conduct  are  not  trifling 
in  their  sequences,  but  that  each  separate  act  is 
one  step  either  on  the  right  road  or  the  wrong 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  271 

one,  and  that  every  fault,  however  apparently 
small  in  itself,  is  a  germ  of  evil  which  may  de- 
velop into  sins  of  startling  magnitude,  or  may  di- 
rectly or  indirectly,  lead  to  the  most  unexpected  and 
calamitous  results.  With  no  more  serious  inten- 
tion of  wrong-doing  than  that  with  which  a  spoiled 
child  misuses  and  breaks  its  toys,  she  had 
flung  away  happiness  the  worth  of  which  she  did 
not  then  know,  but  had  since  learned  to  appre- 
ciate. And  not  happiness  only.  Despite  what 
her  father  had  said  to  the  contrary,  she  could  not 
feel  that  she  was  entirely  guiltless,  as  regarded 
Southgate's  death.  Morally  guiltless,  of  course  ; 
but  was  it  not  incontestably  true  that  if  she  had 
acted  differently  circumstances  would  have  fallen 
out  differently  ?  "  Yet  God  knows  best,"  she  said 
humbly.  "  He  has  been  very  merciful  to  me  in 
sending  the  discipline  I  needed  ;  and  how  dare  I 
think  that  his  mercy  has  been  less  to  one  who  was 
so  much  more  worthy  of  it !  "  Still,  to  her  human 
sight,  it  seemed  grevious  that  such  a  life  should 
have  ended  so  prematurely.  But  could  it  have 
ended  more  worthily?  Self-forgetful  to  the  last, 
he  had  died  in  the  performance  of  an  act  of  char- 
ity. Surely  a  soul  so  upright  and  self-sacrificing 
would  not  be  doomed  to  stay  long  in  that  abode 
the  pains  of  which  are  softened  by  the  presence  of 
Hope,  and  may  be  shortened  by  the  prayers  of  the 
living.  She  had  said  many  prayers  already,  but 
at  the  thought  of  purgatory  she  rose  from 


272  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

where  she  sat  on  the  grass,  and,  kneeling,  began 
to  repeat  the  De  Profundis  :  «  Out  of  the  depths  I 
have  cried  to  thee,  0  Lord  !  Lord,  hear — " 

Suddenly  her  voice  ceased  ;  a  magnetic  con- 
sciousness made  her  aware  that  she  was  not  alone. 
She  lifted  both  hands,  and,  hastily  throwing  back 
her  veil,  the  folds  of  which  had  fallen  far  over  her 
face,  looked  up. 

But  a  few  feet  from  her,  at  the  head  of  the 
grave  over  which  she  was  offering  a  prayer  for  the 
repose  of  his  soul,  stood  Edward  Southgate. 

She  saw  him,  heard  him  utter  her  name,  and 
then  consciousness  left  her. 

Southgate — for  it  was  he  in  his  natural  body, 
not,  as  Stella  thought,  a  spiritual  one — was  as 
much  shocked  when  he  saw  her  fall  back  insen- 
sible as  he  had  been  surprised  the  moment  before 
to  recognize  her  face.  He  sprang  to  her  assist- 
ance, laid  her  down  on  the  soft  grass,  and  hastily 
took  off  her  hat.  What  to  do  next  he  did  not 
know.  To  leave  her  alone  while  he  went  more 
than  a  mile  to  the  lodge  or  manor-house  for  help 
was  not  to  be  thought  of.  He  had  come  by  the 
way  of  the  lodge,  and  knew  no  other  way  of  ap- 
proach nor  nearer  place  to  seek  assistance.  He 
looked  at  Stella's  bloodless  face  and  groaned. 
What  was  he  to  do  ?  He  lifted  her  hand  and  put 
his  finger  on  her  pulse,  and  as  he  did  so  a  lumin- 
ous idea  flashed  upon  him.  She  was  in  the  habit, 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  273 

he  remembered,  of  carrying  a  vinaigrette  in  her 
pocket.     He  proceeded  to  search  for  it. 

With  masculine  awkwardness  he  sought  vainly 
for  some  time  in  the  folds  of  her  dress  for  the 
pocket  itself  in  the  first  place.  When  at  last  he 
found  it,  and  had  succeeded  in  extracting  the 
smelling-bottle  from  its  depths,  he  was  in  such 
haste  in  applying  the  open  mouth  of  the  bottle  to 
her  nostrils  as  almost  to  strangle  her  with  the 
powerful  aromatic  odor.  It  was  with  a  gasping 
cry  of  pain  that  she  opened  her  eyes. 

"  You  are  better,  thank  Heaven !  "  ejaculated 
Southgate. 

She  did  not  answer,  but  gazed  at  him  with  a 
look  which  astonished  him.  Incredulity,  terror, 
horror  was  what  it  seemed  to  express.  He  was 
so  struck  by  it  that  he  did  not  attempt  to  raise 
her  from  the  ground,  but  remained  motionless,  re- 
garding her  almost  as  wonderfully  as  she  was  re- 
garding him. 

For  an  instant,  or  not  much  longer,  they  thus 
stared  at  each  other  before  Southgate  exclaimed, 
rising  from  the  ground  as  he  spoke  : 

"  Why  do  you  look  at  me  so  strangely,  Stella  ? 
Surely  you  do  not  altogether  hate  me !  Since  I 
find  you  here  at  my  brother's  grave — " 

"  Your  brother's  grave  !  "  cried  Stella.     "  Then 
— then — you    are  not — "      A   great   shuddering 
sigh    heaved  her   whole   frame.      "I  thought   it 
was  your  grave,"  she  said. 
18 


274  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

"  Mine !  "  he  repeated  in  surprise.  "  No  ;  it  is 
Eugene's  ;  Eugene's  grave  !  " 

The  last  words  were  spoken  as  if  more  to  him- 
self than  to  her.  His  eyes  fell  and  rested  on  the 
mound  of  earth  with  an  expression  which  made 
Stella  avert  her  face,  while  her  own  eyes  filled 
with  tears.  She  felt  as  if  her  presence  was  an  in- 
trusion ;  and,  starting  up  so  quickly  that  South- 
gate's  attention  was  not  attracted  until  she  had 
gained  her  feet,  she  was  moving  away  when  his 
voice  arrested  her. 

"  Stella !  "  he  said,  taking  a  step  toward  her  and 
extending  his  hand. 

"  Are  you  going  to  leave  me  alone  in  my  deso- 
lation ?  "  his  eyes  asked  when  she  turned  and  met 
them — or  so,  at  least,  she  interpreted  the  sad  gaze 
fixed  on  her. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  you,"  her  own  eyes  an- 
swered to  that  mute  appeal ;  and  he  drew  still 
nearer  and  took  her  hand  in  his  own. 

They  sat  down  silently,  and  it  was  some 
minutes  before  a  word  was  exchanged.  Then  in 
hushed  tones,  as  if  their  voices  might  disturb  the 
rest  of  the  two  slumberers  beside  them,  their 
mutual  explanation  was  made.  A  few  sentences 
sufficed  for  Stella's  ;  Southgate's  was  necessarily 
less  brief. 

"  When  I  reached  Rome  last  January,"  he  said, 
"  I  found  Eugene  looking  wretchedly.  His 
health  had  not  been  good  for  some  months,  and 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  275 

latterly  had  failed  so  much  that,  by  the  advice  of 
his  physicians,  supported  by  the  command  of  the 
superiors,  he  had  been  compelled  to  suspend  his 
studies  altogether  for  the  time  being. 

"  This  was  a  great  trial  to  him,  for  it  involved 
the  delay  of  a  year,  probably,  as  to  the  time  of  his 
ordination.  In  order  to  turn  the  period  of  en- 
forced inactivity  to  the  best  account,  as  well  as  to 
regain  as  soon  as  possible  his  lost  health,  he 
proposed  spending  Lent  in  Jerusalem,  and,  then, 
as  the  season  advanced,  coming  to  England  and 
devoting  the  summer  to  visiting  all  the  holy 
places  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  I  will- 
ingly agreed  to  go  with  him  to  Jerusalem,  and 
determined  to  excuse  myself  from  keeping  an  en- 
gagement I  had  made  with  two  Englishmen  to 
join  a  party  they  were  getting  up  for  several  years' 
travel  in  the  East,  and  return  with  him  to  Europe 
after  Easter.  But  when  Easter  came  he  was  so 
much  better  that  he  insisted  on  my  joining  the 
Englishmen  in  their  first  expedition  at  least, 
which  was  through  the  interior  of  Palestine.  He 
accompanied  me  to  Damascus — our  place  of 
rendezvous — and  there  I  parted  from  him." 

The  speaker  paused  here  and  was  silent  for  a 
little  time,  sitting  with  his  gaze  fastened  on  the 
grave  of  his  brother.  His  eyes  were  dim  with 
tears  when  at  last  he  turned  to  Stella,  and,  half 
shaking  his  head,  exclaimed  : 

"  Some  time  in  the  future,  when  I  have  learned 


276  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

to  feel  the  resignation  which  now  I  can  only  de- 
sire to  offer  to  God,  I  will  tell  you  about  him," 
his  voice  faltered.  "  You  know  I  always  did  tell 
you  that  if  there  was  any  good  in  me,  any  aspira- 
tion after  good,  I  owed  it  entirely  to  his  example 
and  exhortations." 

"  I  remember, "  said  Stella.  "  You  always  said 
that  he  was  saintly  in  character." 

"  He  was  truly  so.  His  confessor  in  Rome  said 
to  me,  '  Do  not  think  of  him  as  dead,  but  as  trans- 
planted, translated.  In  all  my  life  I  have  never 
known  such  a  beautiful  and  pure  soul  as  his.  I 
do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  I  believe  he  is  in 
heaven.'  " 

"Surely  this  is  very  consoling,"  said  Stella 
gently. 

"  Yes.  I  ought  to  be  satisfied,  since  it  is  God's 
will.  But  nature  is  weak.  There  were  so  many 
reasons  why  I  wished  him  to  live — " 

He  started  up  abruptly,  and,  walking  some  dis- 
tance away,  stood  leaning  against  a  tree  for  a  few 
minutes,  looking  vacantly  toward  the  green 
depths  of  shade  in  the  park  before  him.  Pres- 
ently he  came  back  and  sat  down  again. 

"  I  blame  myself  for  having  been  persuaded  to 
leave  him,"  he  said,  "for  having  let  him  a  moment 
out  of  my  sight.  It  was  with  great  reluctance 
that  I  did  so  ;  and  every  day  of  absence  increased 
my  uneasiness,  until  at  last  I  left  my  party  and 
returned  much  sooner  than  I  intended  to  Jeru- 


STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE.  277 

salem,  where  he  was  to  wait  for  me.  I  did  not 
find  him.  A  few  days  previous  to  my  arrival  he 
had  started  for  Europe,  but  left  a  letter  for  me 
begging  me  not  to  be  at  all  anxious  about  him,  as 
he  felt  assured  that  a  fever  from  which  he  was 
recovering  when  he  wrote  had  revolutionized  his 
system  so  thoroughly  that  he  was  now  really  re- 
gaining his  health.  The  English  physician  who 
had  attended  him  during  his  illness  told  me  the 
same  thing. 

"  I  lost  no  time  in  following  him,  however,  but 
did  not  succeed  in  overtaking  him.  Not  know- 
ing the  route  he  had  taken,  I  went  via  Venice  to 
Rome,  hoping  to  find  him  there.  Instead  of  that 
I  was  met  by  the  news  of  his  death.  His  friends 
had  seen  in  the  English  telegraphic  news  accounts 
of  the  loss  of  the  vessel  on  which  they  knew  he 
had  taken  passage,  had  telegraphed  to  friends  of 
theirs  in  London  and  heard  all  the  particulars — " 
he  pointed  to  the  two  graves.  "  Several  telegrams 
and  letters  addressed  to  him  were  given  me,  but  I 
did  not  even  look  at  them.  No  doubt  the  ones 
which  you  say  Mr.  Gordon  sent  were  among 
them." 

After  another  silence  he  went  on  with  evident 
effort :  "  I  cannot  talk  of  him  yet,  but  hereafter  I 
must  teach  you  to  know  him  well.  I  want  you 
to  feel  as  if  you  had  known  him.  When  we  were 
first  engaged  I  sent  him  your  photograph,  and 
while  we  were  together  he  often  looked  at  it, 


278  STELLA'S  DISCIPLINE. 

saying  what  a  charming  face  it  was  and  blaming 
me  for  not  having  had  patience  enough  with  what 
he  felt  sure  was  only  girlish  volatility.  He  saw, 
what  I  was  very  loath  to  admit  even  to  myself  at 
first,  that  instead  of  forgetting  you,  as,  when  I 
left  home,  I  believed  I  should,  I  regretted  more 
and  more  as  time  wore  on  that  I  had  been  so 
implacable.  I  shrank  at  the  sight  of  letters  from 
home,  expecting  each  time  that  I  opened  one  to 
hear  that  you  were — lost  to  me.  *  Never  fear,' 
he  said  once  as  he  saw  me  hesitate  to  break 
the  seal  of  a  letter  in  my  hand  ;  *  I  am  sure  you 
will  not  find  the  bad  news  you  are  afraid  of.  I 
have  an  intuition  that  Stella  has  no  more  for- 
gotten you  than  you  have  forgotten  her,  and  in 
the  autumn  I  am  going  to  take  you  home  and  see 
if  I  cannot  persuade  her  to  forgive  you.'  " 

The  speaker  paused  once  more,  and,  taking 
Stella's  hand  again,  laid  it,  clasped  in  his  own, 
upon  the  grave,  saying : 

"  Let  me  think  that  it  is  he  who  has  spoken  to 
your  heart  for  me  now." 


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